Shiro Kuramata
Encyclopedia
Shiro Kuramata is one of Japan's
most important designer
s of the 20th century. Kuramata was mainly known for his use of industrial materials such as wire steel mesh
and lucite to create architectural interiors and furniture
. Revolutionary pieces such as the "How High the Moon" chair (1986) reflect the emerging dynamism
and maturing creativity of postwar Japan
, or his Ikabana, lead cristal free hand blown vase, realized by the Vilca
from
Colle Valdelsa (Siena
) Italy
, a unique example of fusion, between oriental and occidental cultures.
In 1990 the French government awarded Kuramata the distinguished Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
in recognition of his outstanding contribution to art and design.
His "Miss Blanche" chair was sold at Christie's
in London
for GBP 46,000.00 (USD 86,000.00) in October 1997, lot 108. A "How High the Moon" two seater was sold for GBP 12,650.00 (USD 24,000.00) at Bonhams
London in May 1998. This ranks Kuramata amongst the most desirable of artists/designers of the 20th century.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
most important designer
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
s of the 20th century. Kuramata was mainly known for his use of industrial materials such as wire steel mesh
Chicken wire
Chicken wire, or poultry netting, is a mesh of wire commonly used to fence poultry livestock. It is made of thin, flexible galvanized wire, with hexagonal gaps...
and lucite to create architectural interiors and furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
. Revolutionary pieces such as the "How High the Moon" chair (1986) reflect the emerging dynamism
Dynamism
Dynamism is a concept that has several meanings.*Dynamism , a cosmological explanation of the material world in the vein of process philosophy.*Dynamism , a Japanese retailer specializing in exports....
and maturing creativity of postwar Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, or his Ikabana, lead cristal free hand blown vase, realized by the Vilca
Vilca
Anadenanthera colubrina is a South American tree closely related to Yopo, or Anadenanthera peregrina. It grows from 5 m to 20 m tall and the trunk is very thorny. The leaves are mimosa-like, up to 30 cm in length and they fold up at night. In Chile, A...
from
Colle Valdelsa (Siena
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
) Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a unique example of fusion, between oriental and occidental cultures.
In 1990 the French government awarded Kuramata the distinguished Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
in recognition of his outstanding contribution to art and design.
His "Miss Blanche" chair was sold at Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for GBP 46,000.00 (USD 86,000.00) in October 1997, lot 108. A "How High the Moon" two seater was sold for GBP 12,650.00 (USD 24,000.00) at Bonhams
Bonhams
Bonhams is a privately owned British auction house founded in 1793. It is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year. It has 700 employees....
London in May 1998. This ranks Kuramata amongst the most desirable of artists/designers of the 20th century.
Sources
- Exhibition information from the San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtSan Francisco Museum of Modern ArtThe San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a modern art museum located in San Francisco, California. A nonprofit organization, SFMOMA holds an internationally recognized collection of modern and contemporary art and was the first museum on the West Coast devoted solely to 20th century art...
. - Shiro Kuramata at "Paul Hughes Fine Arts".