One of the now-iconic works exhibited in the seminal collection of the Memphis Group in September of 1981, the present 'Tawaraya' ring is representative of the collaborative’s vibrant spirit and radical aesthetic principles which surprised audiences with punchy and exuberant forms that are still celebrated today for their legacy of postmodern design. Armed with youthfulness and a plethora of new materials made abundantly available due to modernising industrialisation and fabrication techniques, Masanori Umeda and his contemporaries manifested a new range of design pieces that challenged the austerity of preceding decades of modernism and questioned current views of tradition, luxury, and function in unprecedented ways. The playful forms and bright colours should not detract from the intellectual essence poured into these works – much contemplation and consideration drove the thoughtful notions.
Memphis Group members in Umeda Masanori's 'Tawaraya' ring, 1981.
Image: © Fabio Cirifino - Studio AzzurroThe employment of the boxing ring theme for the present lot is an intentional commentary on the confluence and confrontation of seemingly oppositional ideals in design, demonstrating that furniture could be both functional and artful, practical yet playful. Traditionally defining a space for physical activity and conflict, Tawaraya paradoxically encourages harmony here instead by providing a space for relaxed conversation. Additionally, Umeda’s personal experience living between Japan and Italy is apparent in the combination of Eastern and Western cultures, to highlight the global nature of postmodernism, as well as a celebration of both time-honored traditions met with simultaneous embrace of new mediums.
Beyond its visual appearance, Tawaraya highlights the importance of human interaction, encouraging designers to consider how users engage with their creations on a more experiential level. The multi-functionality of the piece blurs the lines between different types of spaces —domestic, public, playful, and serious— prompting designers to think more fluidly about the environments they furnish and possibilities for efficiency through the creation of hybrid spaces. An innovative and intercultural paragon of postmodernist design, Tawaraya’s historical significance and artistic merit make it a coveted piece for collectors and design enthusiasts seeking to acquire a truly unique work that encapsulates the spirit of a transformative era in design history.
Provenance
The Gallery Mourmans, Maastricht
Patrick Brillet, London
Acquired from the above by the present ownerLiterature
Barbara Radice, Memphis, London, 1985, pp. 80-81
Matthias Dietz, Michael Mönninger, Japan Design, Cologne, 1992, p. 55
Monique Rivalland, 'The end of minimalism', The Times Magazine, November 2014, illustrated n.p.
Cindi Strauss, Radical: Italian Design 1965 – 1985: The Dennis Freedman Collection, exh. cat., The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 2020, p. 124
111
'Tawaraya' ring
circa 1981
Plastic laminate-covered wood, lacquered wood, painted wood, chrome-plated steel, tatami mat, fabric, glass.
125.5 x 280 x 280.4 cm (49 3/8 x 110 1/4 x 110 3/8 in.)
Produced by Memphis, Milan, Italy.
Estimate
£10,000 - 15,000
Sold for £16,510
Antonia King
Head of Sale, Design
+44 20 7901 7944
Antonia.King@phillips.com
Design
London Auction 13 November 2024
