On Friday, October 24, Luminaire hosted an exhibition and book signing reception with acclaimed Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa. The exhibition included a retrospective look at his iconic designs for B&B Italia, Maruni, Magis, Siwa and more. As one of the most important industrial designers of our time, Fukasawa believes design should be intuitive seamlessly engaging those who experience it. His designs are both functionally and conceptually sound – a historically difficult balance to achieve.
Attended by over 125 guests, the crowd had an inspirational book signing reception accompanied by an exhibition including over 30 of the designer’s works expanding his career’s lifespan. Works exhibited included The Papilio Collection with its fluid indoor and outdoor pieces, the Shelf X with its graceful geometry and the new Awa Table both manufactured by B&B Italia in addition to the Siena bed with simple lines and essential planes; The Hiroshima chair, manufactured by Maruni; The Déjà Vu Stools and chairs manufactured by Magis; personal accessories such as pouches and briefcases manufactured by Siwa; home complements from B&B Italia; and electronics from his own company Plus-Minus Zero. During the elegant reception, the audience had the chance to interact with the designer and have the designer’s first monograph published by Phaidon signed. They also enjoyed Mediterranean hors d’oeuvres complimented with Voveti sparkling wine from Italy’s most acclaimed Prosecco regions and wineries in Veneto.
Fukasawa has received more than 40 international awards, and his work is part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He is currently a professor at Musashino Art University and a visiting lecturer at Tama Art University.
In 2008, Fukasawa participated in the PaperLove exhibition and auction at Luminaire to help raise funds for cancer research. In 2010, Luminaire welcomed the designer to its Chicago showroom for a thought provoking lecture and a reception during NeoCon 2010. Whether a long-time design enthusiast or only experiencing the transformative power of great design for the first time, everyone is encouraged to continue to learn more about Naoto Fukasawa, his designs and personal quests.
Friday, October 24, 2014
