For nearly a decade, Luminaire has encouraged young designer Konstantin Grcic through every step of his meteoric rise into the first rank of European designers. Among the first to discover this brilliant creative, Luminaire showcased many of his works, including furnishings, objects and lighting developed by leading international companies such as Agape, ClassiCon, Driade, Flos, littala, Krups, Moroso and Muji.
Luminaire therefore welcomed Grcic with open arms, inviting him to present his philosophy of design and his work to the Chicago public. Grcic entertained the audience with stories of his personal experiences while his contagious passion lifted spirits as it enlightened minds.
Grcic began in 1990 working with another brilliant young designer, Jasper Morrision, but by 1991 he was busy setting up his own practice in Munich. According to Grcic, his favorite product is the Mayday lamp produced by Flos, a piece powerful with its aesthetic simplicity and glowing functionality. The Mayday lamp was selected for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Many of his products have won prestigious awards, and Luminaire proudly carries a curated selection of some of his best work, including the Chaos chair and the Osorom. The zig zag structure of Chaos belies the surprising ergonomic pleasure it provides. Offering serene design in a chaotic world, Chaos encourages interaction and conversation and can be suited to a variety of atmospheres. The circular seating system of Osorom, on the other hand a skilful combination of emptiness and lightness. An environmental sculpture which boasts airiness wherever placed; its frame, a combination of fibreglass and resin, conveys an idea of visual transparency.
While he strongly believes that design and art are two disparate disciplines that serve varied purposes, Grcic admits that his designs are influenced by art, music, and film. In this way, he sees design, and other forms of art, as a form of communication. Design is not merely a stagnant object but a point of discourse and experience, or in Grcic’s words, ‘a cultural expression.’
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
