The Wild Eighties

Designers and architects argued that modern architecture was fundamentally meaningless because it lacked complexity and irony which prevailed in historical buildings. Originally the term Post-Modern was applied to architecture which was then borrowed by design which applied to furniture and other objects which resembled architectural forms. Such example could be seen in Michael Graves, dressing table, Plaza, 1981 for Memphis which is clearly imitating the architectural form of a skyscraper. As stated in Robert Venture’s book of 1966 “ambiguity and contradiction was valid in design” instead of rationality and logic. He also argued that the lack of ornamentation was dehumanising the design. Thus designers started to abandon what was accomplished during the Bauhaus and the International Style to start over decorating their designs.

During this period we get to see the importance of semiotics, which is the study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behaviour. They will introduce the analysis of systems of communications as language, gestures or clothing. In fact this was seen in the theories of the Roland Brothers who believed that; “if objects and buildings were full of symbolism … viewers and consumers will relate more to them”. This theory was put into practice by Giorgo Armani in 1989 when he launched the Casual Look collection. It broke down the dividing line between: day wear and evening wear … formal and casual, fusing them in a single style.

At this stage we also have the merging of fine arts and the mass culture. Architects such as Michael Graves introduced a new aesthetic by the mid 1970’s. This can be seen in the Graves Portland Building 1982. This building resembles Art Deco which is also looking at other past styles. We have forms impersonating the use of columns like the Greek and Egyptians used to make use of. A key stone figure which is not in context and is not actually serving a purpose apart from decoration.

American Critic Charles Jencks advocated that products should be made of elements which are a hybrid rather than a pure, messy vitality of an over obvious unity. Such an example is Charles Jencks’ sun chair from the symbolic series in 1984. It can be seen that apart the sharp bold edges of Art Deco as decoration we have an interpretation of Egyptian leaf motifs. It also has a resemblance to the patterns used by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The Memphis Group was founded in Milan in 1981 and whose aim was to re-invigorate the Radical Design and to devise a new creative approach to design. It was an off shoot of Alchimia by Alessandro Mendini which Sottsass, Branzi and de Luchhi had found Mendini’s approach too depressing. The name was chosen after Bob Dylan’s “Stuck inside of mobile with the Memphis Blues Again”. The main members were Ettore Sottsass, Michele de Lucchi, Marco Zanini, Mateo Thun, Nathalie du Pasquir, George Sowden.

The designs were starting to be very colourful and were starting to have designs which were elevated to the level of an artwork. Designs were not just there for function but good to look at as well. The designers were starting to deviate from the “less is more” credo of simple yet functional design to a new belief of “less is a bore” thus the bombastic new creations being made.

606 Universal Shelving System by Dieter Rams for Vitsoe

 VS.

Memphis Italy Milo Baughman Prisma Shelving Unit.

Ettore Sottsass was an Austrian designer who had begun designing with Olivetti. He became a prominent member of the Radical design movement during the 60’s and 70’s. His bold and decorative designs which he produced in Memphis paved the way for the post-modern design. He was an advocate of post modernism.

Some examples of postmodernism are:

Clesitera e maia, 1986 by Ettore Sottsass

Casablanca, 1981 also by Ettore Sottsass

Arm chair 1982 by Peter Shire

Both Ettore Sottsass and Peter Shire are making use of random things and shapes that clash among them. Their designs also incorporate parts of other previous styles which not necessarily fit together. These designs are not necessarily functional but serve more as an artwork to be seen rather than used. By this they are going against all that has been accomplished so far but as long as they are popular and can be mass produced the designers were happy about it.

Michael Graves. 1981. Museum of Fine Arts Boston: Michael Graves Plaza. [online] Available at: http://www.mfa.org/collections/object/plaza-61893 [Accessed on 11^th December 2013]

Lynn and Horst. 2010. An aesthetic commentary.Quality since 2007. Giorgio Armani - Spring/Summer 1989. [online] Available at: http://lynnandhorst.blogspot.com/2010/04/spectacle.html  [Accessed on 11^th December 2013]

Wikipedia. Portland Building. 1982. Michael Graves. [online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Building [Accessed on 11^th December 2013]

Area Neo. Charles Jencks SUN chair, made by Sawaya and Moroni Italy 1980s. [online] Available at: http://areaneo.com/blog/author/admin/page/4/  [Accessed on 11^th December 2013]

DesignBoom. Aug 2009. ettore sottsass: memphis retrospective exhibition. [online] Available at: http://www.designboom.com/design/ettore-sottsass-memphis-retrospective-exhibition/ [Accessed on 11^th December 2013]