Et Tu, Ettore | Galerie 56
The last decade of furniture and accessory design has largely been influenced by the work of Ettore Sottsass and the original Memphis movement. It is the house style of a generation of Millennial designers reviving blobs, colorful primitives and sculptural expression. It’s an aesthetic that’s about run it’s course. Maybe fitting then that Galerie 56 partnering with Friedman Benda showcase a collection of OG work by Sottsass to close the loop.
Et Tu, Ettore spans 26 pieces ranging from small ceramics to large blocky cabinets. Some of the pieces are from Sottsass’ personal collection. Arranged in a row along the back wall are 11 ceramic vessels, part of the geology series. These multi-hued stack compositions are a fitting compliment to occupy the ground floor is NYC’s familiar Jenga building.
Full Description
“ET TU, ETTORE” is the twelfth selling exhibition at Galerie56, and marks its first formal collaboration with Friedman Benda, a gallery spanning five continents and four generations representing a roaster of seminal designers and historically significant estates.
The exhibition is an intimate, monographic examination of the groundbreaking Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007). Galerie56 founder Lee F. Mindel, FAIA, offers an architect’s analysis of another architect’s creative output. The works to be featured range in medium and time period, acting as a survey of Sottsass’ approach to design. This includes rarely seen examples of his early ceramic prototypes made in the 1960s from Sottsass’ own personal collection, one of his iconic totems, and works from his Geology series produced in the early 2000s. The latter ceramic works in particular possess a potent kinship to the architecture of Galerie56 itself.
Photos and Intro Text: Dave Pinter
Additional Text: Galerie 56
