Eames Demetrios’ grandparents, Charles and Ray Eames, would instill in him these words of guidance: Always be gracious.
A multimedia designer, exhibit designer, lecturer, film maker and author, Demetrios is also the principal of the Eames Office, where he directs the preservation, extension and communication of work begun by his grandparents. Understanding that the company can only successfully affect people’s lives when it works in cooperation with like-minded members of the design community and with the public at large, Demetrios has let the words of his grandparent’s guide him through his career, cultivating a nature of gratitude that has allowed him to branch out into many cultural endeavors while gaining the love, respect and support of the design community along the way.
On November 18, 2004, Luminaire and Herman Miller presented an evening of good design with Demetrios as the guest of honor. In an engaging lecture and presentation, Demetrios discussed his own work and the Eames legacy in the context of modern design.
According to Demetrios, he is interested in stories that are told in a physical way. He believes that design, as well as art and film, is a catalyst for people to better explore the world around them and better understand themselves. In his film Ping Pong, for instance, he follows the design process back and forth. By examining Emeco and Frank Gehry’s SuperLight chair, the film emphasizes the importance of design as a process of discovery.
This, too, is how he remembers he grandparents. Internationally recognized designers, Charles and Ray Eames sought adventure. Demetrios shared personal stories of a childhood spent in elation of his grandparents’ intense curiosity and spirit of wonder. Design for them was not simply a final product, but a way to explore the world around them and try to improve it when possible.
Luminaire is also intensely dedicated to improving people’s lives through good design. As the Eames’ recognized social needs and then fulfilled them through their work, Luminaire hopes to enlighten people to modern design, encouraging them to engage with their environment with the curiosity, graciousness and thoughtfulness that likewise inspired the Eames’ family.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
