LACMA

Ronald T. Labaco

Interview with Ronald T. Labaco

ETTORE SOTTSASS AND
THE TRANSFORMATION
OF THE EVERYDAY

LACMA’s assistant curator of decorative arts recently spoke with Muse about the special exhibition Ettore Sottsass, on view through June 11. For information on receiving the Museletter, a quarterly publication where this interview originally appeared, and other exclusive member benefits, go here .  

Q: A shaping figure in the art and field of architecture and design, Ettore Sottsass is the man behind the nearly one hundred objects now on view at LACMA. Sottsass himself conceptualized this exhibition that surveys some of his most significant pieces. What can you tell us about your experience with him, and how he has informed the shaping of the exhibition?

A: There are challenges working with a living artist, especially one who has clear ideas about the presentation of his work and career. We decided early in the project to focus solely on his design since it would have been impossible to do justice to his architectural contributions with only a few select pieces. And since he has been involved in exhibition design since the 1940s, I invited him to design the installation of his very own show. True to form, Sottsass came up with a remarkable concept (superbly realized by our very own Bernard Kester) that really makes the exhibition a special experience and transforms the space into something magical. Rather than a landscape of all his works visible at a cursory glance, he conceived of a plan that visually isolated the objects from one another to better appreciate their shapes and forms. There is no linear path of progression through the show; it is rather a journey through revelatory moments in his design experience—from the 1940s to the present—that winds around and doubles in on itself. Vitrines and platforms are situated such that only objects from the same time period will be simultaneously visible, in effect “frozen in that moment of time.” To see the next object or set of objects you will have to physically move to the next vantage point, allowing for the “discovery” of the next set of objects.

Vogli dire (I Want to Say) vase, from the Rovine (Ruins) collection, 1992, made by Flavia (Montelupo Fiorentino, Italy), edition of 9, glazed earthenware, 17 3/8 x 17 x 6 1/4 in. (44 x 43 x 16 cm), the Gallery Mourmans, Maastricht, The Netherlands, photo by © Santi Caleca.

Q: Sottsass has described himself as “designer/architect/theorist.”  What role does Ettore Sottsass: Theorist play in this survey of his work?

A: Traditionally designers’ efforts are focused into creating a product that appeals to the consumer market, but Sottsass, always an individualist, designs with no specific target audience in mind. He focuses instead on giving physical form to his influences and philosophies in the shape of objects, so in this sense he designs metaphors or theories. This exhibition addresses this particular facet of Sottsass’s philosophy, emphasizing the ideas behind the objects of his design. For example, one of his most prevalent theories is the use of vibrant color to elicit an emotional response from its user, and visitors will notice the abundance of color throughout the exhibition.

Q: Sottsass’s work seems to appeal to both art enthusiasts and consumers through their bold, colorful and often irreverent design.  As an early proponent of “user-friendly” technology, how has his approach to these two very different audiences influenced design today?

A: Sottsass didn’t design for “consumers” but rather for “users,” creating objects that redefined the traditional relationship between the individual and the object in modern industrialized society, with the goal of enhancing the everyday human experience.  Sottsass converted a typewriter’s drab mechanical appearance into a spirited and vibrant writing instrument and a teapot into an architectural experience.  His bold use of color and irreverent designs captivate and amuse people, making design less intimidating—that is, more “user friendly”—because his priority lies with the experience of interacting with the object, which ultimately appeals to everyone.

The Ettore Sottsass exhibition.

Q: What do you hope visitors will come away with after experiencing this exhibition?

A: I hope that visitors will take a moment to look at the objects that surround them in their daily lives, and think about why they might be attracted to one thing and not so much to another. Sottsass sought to design objects that didn’t necessarily fit the mold of “good” design as defined by the arbiters of modernism, so people shouldn’t be afraid to surround themselves with objects that they find pleasing, whether due to its color, its amusing shape, or whatever might appeal to them—regardless of whoever made it or wherever it came from.

This interview was conducted by Membership Marketing Coordinator Anna Sopko.