Memphis Milano at the Dixon

I've been interested in the Memphis Group (1981-1988) ever since I first learned of it. There was an exhibition here at the Brooks Museum in 1984, but that's been a while. This exhibit at the Dixon Gallery included a variety of pieces. My favorite piece was Ivory, a side table by Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007):

photo from Pinterest

There were some teapots on display (so I'm linking to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's Tea Tuesday gathering). The teapots included this one from 1982, part of the Anchorage collection by Peter Shire:

image from MFA

It is described as "anything but an ordinary teapot, challenging its core function as a receptacle for hot beverages". Another work by Peter Shire that particularly struck me was the Bel Air armchair:

image from ixlar

There was a teapot, sugar bowl, and cup and saucer by Matteo Thun (b. 1952). Here's the cup and saucer:

photo from Pinterest

There were two teapots by Marco Zanini, the Colorado and the Sepik:

from Memphis-Milano.com

from Memphis-Milano.com

I also got a kick out of Zanini's Dublin sofa (1981):

photo from Pinterest

The Dixon describes the exhibit on its website this way:

A retrospective look at the flamboyant and colorful furniture and household objects produced by the Memphis collective between 1981 and 1988. Based in Milan, these iconoclastic architects and designers helped define the look of a generation. Memphis-Milano includes over 150 iconic works that date from its founding in 1981 through 1988, when the group disbanded. By then, Memphis was already part of design history. Sponsored by Karen and Dr. Preston Dorsett; Liz and Tommy Farnsworth; and Nancy and Steve Morrow.

You can see photos from the exhibit here and here. Here's a 40 second video showing some of the exhibit:

from the Memphis Magazine review:

Kevin Sharp, the Dixon’s director, characterizes the objects that the “Memphis” movement produced as “radical reinterpretations of familiar forms, forms that were as smart as they were surprising.” Visitors to this eye-popping show will be both amazed — and amused — by the sheer volume of pieces on display: 150 vibrant, iconic works, including sofas, chairs, bookshelves, lamps, ceramics and glass objects.

GoMemphis says, "The 150 objects in the show were selected by guest curator Dana Holland-Beickert from the collection of local photographer Dennis Zanone." Zanone has a website here. There is information on his collection here, he has a Flickr stream here, and he administers a Facebook page devoted to the Memphis Group.