DECEMBER 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Allison Agsten: 323 857-6543

aagsten@lacma.org

LACMA PREMIERES ETTORE SOTTSASS EXHIBITION

FIRST U.S. MUSEUM EXHIBITION FOR RADICAL DESIGN LEADER

March 12 through June 11, 2006

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) presents Ettore Sottsass on view from March 12 through June 11, 2006, showcasing the works of the renowned Italian architect-designer in his first major museum survey exhibition in the United States. Widely acclaimed for his groundbreaking contributions to furniture and office machine design since the 1950s, Sottsass is equally known for his outspoken ideas against colorless, purely functional design and the disposability of twentieth-century consumer culture. The exhibition, organized by LACMA Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts, Ronald T. Labaco, includes nearly one hundred objects highlighted in an installation conceptualized by Sottsass himself.

Sottsass’s seemingly divergent interests in modern technology and ancient traditions coalesce in designs meant to engage the user intellectually and emotionally. Breaking from the asceticism of typical office machines, the shiny red Valentine portable typewriter (1969) bears all of the hallmarks of Pop art—witty, sexy, gimmicky, mass-produced, and aimed at youth culture. By using the color red, with its associations of love and passion, Sottsass sets a dramatic tone for the writer or poet to record his or her thoughts and emotions. Sottsass’s Lapislazzuli teapot reflects the designer’s interest in ancient and non-Western cultures. Based on the form of a Mesopotamian stepped pyramid, the teapot addresses the all but forgotten social ritual of pouring and serving tea in a modern world full of disposable coffee cups and canned soft drinks.

“At the age of 88, Ettore Sottsass, one of the great designers of our time, is finally attaining the recognition in the United States that he so richly deserves,” says Ronald T. Labaco. “His work has remained enigmatic to many, difficult to fit into any neat category of modern design because a large part of it is theoretical and because he himself seeks to elude the commodification that pervades our consumerist culture. As a leader and a mentor, his influence is widespread and he has inspired generations of architects and designers. No doubt he will continue to do so in this new century.”

Because of the breadth of Ettore Sottsass’s artistic contributions and his continued achievements as a design leader, the exhibition is not considered a retrospective. It is, rather, a carefully selected group of objects representing some of Sottsass’ most influential works throughout the course of his enduring career. Ettore Sottsass unveils the provocative designs of a creative force not yet fully exposed to the American audience, at the same time underscoring LACMA’s firm commitment to promoting modern and contemporary design.

About the Artist

Austrian-born Ettore Sottsass graduated from the Turin Politecnico in 1939 with a degree in architecture and moved to Milan after the second World War to open his first of several architecture and design studios. His achievements include the renowned Compasso d’Oro award for outstanding industrial design in 1959 and again in 1970. As consultant designer to prestigious companies such as Olivetti (1958–1970s) and Poltronova (1956–74), he remained highly visible through a steady stream of product and furniture designs, while maintaining his more personal interests in ceramic, glass, jewelry, silverwork, and, beginning in the mid-1980s, architecture. In 1980, he co-founded Sottsass Associati, through which he continues to create architecture, interiors, and product design. In 1981 he founded the Memphis group, from which he formally withdrew in 1985 to concentrate on architecture and limited-edition designs. Sottsass’ work can be found in major museums and important private collections around the world, and he has been featured in numerous group exhibitions, including the landmark “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” at the Museum of Modern Art (New York, 1972), “Design Since 1945” at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (1983), and “Memphis Remembered” at the Design Museum, 2001. Previous one-person museum exhibitions have been organized by Design Center (Berlin, 1972), which traveled to Venice, Paris, Barcelona, Jerusalem, and Sydney; the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (1994); and most recently, the Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto in Italy (2005).

Credit

This exhibition was organized by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and was made possible by Max Palevsky.

About LACMA

Established as an independent institution in 1965, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art has assembled a permanent collection that includes approximately 100,000 works of art spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present, making it the premier encyclopedic visual arts museum in the western United States . Located in the heart of one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, the museum uses its collection and resources to provide a variety of educational and cultural experiences for the people who live in, work in, and visit Los Angeles. LACMA offers an outstanding schedule of special exhibitions, as well as lectures, classes, family activities, film programs, and world-class musical events. The museum offers free admission after 5 pm every day the museum is open and all day on the second Tuesday of each month. LACMA's “Free after Five” program is sponsored by Target.

General Information

For general information, call (323) 857-6000. For press information, images, or to schedule an interview, call (323) 857-6522.

Museum Hours: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday noon–8 pm; Friday noon–9 pm; Saturday and Sunday 11 am–8 pm; closed Wednesday. Call (323) 857-6000, or visit our web site at www.lacma.org for more information.

General LACMA Admission: Adults $9; students 18+ with ID and senior citizens 62+ $5; children 17 and under are admitted free. Admission (except to specially ticketed exhibitions) is free the second Tuesday of every month, and evenings after 5 pm.

# # #