Shiro Kuramata & Ettore Sottsass

The encounter between the two creators featured in this exhibition, Shiro Kuramata and Ettore Sottsass, was magical. When Kuramata received a letter from Sottsass asking him to join Memphis, he was so elated that he said, “I got a love letter from Sottsass!” Sottsass also said in an interview, “I thought Kuramata was someone special. It was like lovers from Brazil and New Guinea. Have you ever fallen in love? It’s similar to that feeling”. Their interaction began in 1981 with Memphis, a project that had tremendous impact on the design world.

The exhibition focuses on 1981, the year that Kuramata and Sottsass met, and explores their philosophies and spirit through their work. It also provides us with an overall view of design from the 20th to 21st century, as well as showing us a vision of the future. Texts by Tadao Ando, Toyo Ito, and biographies of both Kuramata and Sottsass are included.