Memphis Group was founded on an evening where young designers were having fun listening to The Record Stuck “Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again” by Bob Dylan at Ettore Sottsass’s house. It was founded on December 11, 1980. It was established in Italy by Ettore Sottsass and it was active in the years 1980-1988. Memphis Group which is also famously called Memphis Milano was famous for making postmodern interiors. Artistic as they were, back in the ’80s, all their products were one of its kind. Their designs featured abstract imagination and vibrant colors. It received criticism for its different approach but later in the ’90s people started accepting it widely and today these products are the traces of heritage in the modern interiors.
1. Suvretta Bookcase | Memphis Group
This is a beautiful interior design piece from the times of postmodern interiors. It was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981. It is designed with plastic laminated wood as a material. The shelves are non-conventional, as the angles in all the rows differ from one another. The bright color on the subtle background of laminate gives this piece of furniture a radical look.
2. Carlton
This is the most famous piece of furniture by the Memphis group. Carlton is famous for its Vibrancy and minimalism. It is used as a room divider. It is made of wood and is covered in plastic laminate. This is designed by Ettore Sottsass. He is known for his craft in connecting modernism and postmodernism. His design approach is unorthodox as he believes that eventually, the books will fall on each other so it’s better to keep the book compartments angled. It has two other variants as well, one is Carlton 30-degree anniversary and the other one is Carlton miniature. This also kept as an art piece from history in the Museum of Modern Art New York.
3. Tawaraya Ring
It was one of the most initial products of the Memphis group on which their team’s famous photo was clicked, where everyone looks happy and to be enjoying their time. This was designed in 1981 by Masanori Umeda. This is a fusion of Japanese traditional bedroom materials and a boxing ring. Initially, it was designed for a Luxury Hotel in Kyoto. It has the standard Tatami mats which are used in Japanese floors and movable pillows along with the light bulbs on the four corners.
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4. Plaza Dressing Table
It was designed in 1981 by Michael graves for a modern apartment in Monte Carlo. It is made up of lacquered wood and glass. It has a central circular mirror and two round lights to give extra focus to the users. Keeping the identity of the vibrant colors of The Memphis, this piece is one of its kind.
5. Brazil Table | Memphis Group
It was designed by Peter Shire in 1981 as a side table using different shapes and colors. It was initially designed for the same modern house in Monte Carlo for which the plaza dressing table was designed. A different color variant was launched in 2018 and it was a seven-piece limited edition. This is made of lacquered wood.
6. Pierre Table
It was designed by George J. Sowden in the year of 1981. This was known for its Artistic interpretation. This was also featured in Art deco for the ’80s. This table was made of lacquered wood and was laminated with colorful plastic sheets. The tabletop pattern is artistic liberty and a feature of the designer.
7. Cleopatra End Table
A piece by Marco Zanuso Junior, this is a design marvel inspired by Cleopatra. It is very simple and minimalistic and was designed in the year of 1987. On a wooden member, stands a metal sheet to give this piece a desired look.
8. S. Chia Sedia Chair
This is a bronze chair designed by Sandro Chia. This is a fixed monumental chair that appears unstable because of its tilted legs. This chair is special because it was painted by van Gogh in 1888. This was a twenty-five piece imitated edition piece.
9. Tartar
It was designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1985. It is designed using reconstituted veneer and plastic laminate. Using the classic Ettore style it is made up of lots of colours and shapes which gives it a unique appearance.
10. Pacific Closet | Memphis Group
It was designed by Michele De Lucchi in 1981. It is a two-door closet with a shoe holder and along with that, it has a cloth hanging rod and shelf containers inside. The structure of the closet is made up of wood and is covered in plastic laminate. The door is made up of frosted glass and the handles are triangular yellow steel frames, which gives it a unique appearance.
