Revisit the 80s in Memphis: Plastic Field

A new exhibition at the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes (02/12/20 – 12/09/21) explores work from the influential 1980s design movement, Memphis.

Memphis designers with Masanori Umeda's Tawaraya Bed, 1981.  
Image credit: Studio Azzurro. Courtesy Memphis Post Design Gallery.

The Memphis Group was founded in December 1980 by Italian designer and architect Ettore Sottsass. It brought together a group of young, international designers, united in their desire to inject humour into the design world and challenge contemporary notions of functionality and taste. Their work was colourful and geometric, drawing inspiration from the Pop Art, Bauhaus and Art Deco movements to create an entirely new aesthetic. 

'Carlton' by Ettore Sottsass, 1981. Memphis Milano Collection. Bookshelf in plastic laminate. 
Image credit: Aldo Ballo, Guido Cegani, Peter Ogilvie. Courtesy Memphis Srl. 

Prioritising the sensory quality of an object over its function, they used materials like plastic laminate, traditionally used in kitchens and bathrooms, to produce high-end furniture such as ‘Carlton’, a bookshelf room divider designed by Sottsass in 1981 (seen in the image above), and ‘Lido’, a sofa designed by Michele De Lucchi in 1982 (below).

'Lido' by Michele De Lucchi 1982. Memphis Milano Collection. Sofa in plastic laminate.  
Image credit: Studio Azzurro. Courtesy Memphis Srl.

Whilst their designs experienced limited commercial success at the time and were often derided by critics, the collective’s influence has had a lasting cultural impact despite only being active for eight years. Only ever intended to be a deliberate, passing fad, Memphis disbanded in 1988 with many of the group going on to become established names within the field of international design. MoDiP has examples represented within the collection from the former members Michael Graves, Alessandro Mendini and George Sowden, as well as objects inspired by the movement, which can all be viewed on request. My favourite, which I think captures the essence of the Memphis style, is this Zolo toy building set dated to 1998.

Zolo creative building set, AIBDC : 001325.  
Image credit: MoDiP

The Memphis: Plastic Field exhibition celebrates a revolutionary moment in the history of design and features over 150 lovely objects. Apparently, some of the group’s early laminate pieces occasionally contain mosquitoes, which had unfortunately become embedded within the composite material during manufacture at Lake Como, Italy. When I visit, I might just take a magnifying glass with me to go bug hunting as well as plastics spotting!

Katherine Pell, Collections Officer.