Once again, Luminaire had the distinction of presenting the most-anticipated event during NeoCon, hosting an extraordinary lecture and exhibition with master designer and architect Patricia Urquiola on Tuesday, June 14th. The designers who come to Luminaire choose to do so because they believe in the company, and this occasion once again brought attention to Luminaire’s singular ability to offer an impeccably curated selection of design-driven products to its clients while also demonstrating it’s mission to educate and increase awareness through providing access to the most innovative figures of contemporary design.
Narrating a visual presentation to a rapt audience of nearly 400 people at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Urquiola richly conveyed the story of her working process, which she described as a series of “delicious disasters.” Sharing images of prototypes, preparatory sketches and even her own photographs of inspiring scenes including work by contemporary artists, a drawing by her daughter and an abandoned chair on the streets of São Paolo, Urquiola’s fearless and free approach became evident. Having emerged as one of the most prolific and consistently innovative designers working today, she described her life as existing between the prototype and the finished product.
Luminaire’s exhibition in turn demonstrated the designer’s profound range and unconstrained manner of working. Playing with scale and reinterpreting the past and present, Urquiola draws from memory with a stated interest in examining our tools for living. At the reception for the designer, guests including designers Todd Bracher and Jeffrey Bernett as well as the Art Institute’s Curator of Design, Zoë Ryan, mingled on each floor of the expansive, three-level showroom, which featured Urquiola’s products for B&B Italia as well as selected designs for other manufacturers. Her newest pieces of furniture for the company highlighted her experimentation with the latest innovations in materials and manufacturing processes, and included 2010’s Bend sofa and the Husk chair, which debuted at April’s Salone del Mobile in Milan. Additionally, contemporary classics including objects from the Tufty-Time line and Fat-Fat series were presented as well as her groundbreaking outdoor furniture, featuring examples from Canasta, Crinoline and Ravel.
Luminaire expresses its profound gratitude to B&B Italia for sponsoring this event and also extends a special thank you to the MCA, Flos, Fast Company and Voveti for their additional support.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
