After the Second World War, Japan rose from its ruins and transformed itself to become one of the world’s leading industrial powers. The development of design was closely linked to this industrial rise. During this period, many manufacturers began working with designers to improve the functionality and aesthetics of existing products.
This impetus, supported by the government in particular, led to the creation of prizes such as the Good Design Award in 1950. The award went beyond aesthetics to take into account functionality, ergonomics, durability and reliability. Young Japanese designers discovered that many of the formal elements traditionally associated with Western modernism actually corresponded to their own visual traditions. This included the use of basic forms and modules, raw materials and undecorated surfaces. However, there were differences in their approach, such as a deep respect for craftsmanship, an affection for the unfinished, the irregular and the asymmetrical.
Shigeru Uchida embodies this transformation in Japanese interior design. Following his studies, Uchida founded his own agency in 1970, renowned for its interior designs for designer boutiques such as Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto. In 1981, the agency was restructured under the name Studio 80, in collaboration with its partner Toru Nishioka. In 1987, Studio 80 was commissioned to design the interior of the Il Palazzo hotel in Fukuoka, whose façade, famous in the West, is the work of Aldo Rossi. Uchida was able to design spaces of a very special elegance, combining the pure forms of his furniture with warm materials, arranged with precision to create a luminous, minimalist harmony.
It is part of this work that we are presenting in our sale.
Lot 176. SHIGERU UCHIDA (1943-2016)
An ‘August’ coffee table in lacquered wood.
H. 19 3/4 IN. MAX H. 24 3/8 IN. DIAM. 23 5/8IN.
4 000 / 6 000€
Lot 177. SHIGERU UCHIDA (1943-2016)
A pair of ‘August’ armchair in lacquered wood.
31 1/2 X 26 X 18 1/8IN.
6 000 / 8 000€
Lot 178. SHIGERU UCHIDA (1943-2016)
A ‘July’ table in lacquered wood.
27 1/2 X 31 1/2 X 31 1/2IN.
5 000 / 6 000€
DISCOVER THE “20TH CENTURY DECORATIVE ARTS & DESIGN” AUCTION
Tuesday 21 November 2023 at 3pm
Tajan, 37 rue des Mathurins, 75008 Paris
CONTACTS
Marie-Cécile Michel
Director of the 20th Century Decorative Arts & Design Department
+33 1 53 30 30 58
[email protected]
Juliette Poubelle
Sales Administrator
+33 1 53 30 30 53
[email protected]