Nickel-plated expanded metal
Japan, 1986
Design: Shiro Kuramata (1934-1991) – Japanese Designer
Manufactured by Vitra, Basel – Swiss furniture manufacturer, founded in 1950
Postmodern interpretation of an upholstered chair
Height: 70 cm, 94 x 82.5 cm
Very good condition
An iconic chair in postmodern industrial aesthetic, designed by one of Japan’s most prominent designers

The name ‘How high the moon’ is derived from a jazz standard composed in 1940. The pale luster of the nickel-plated metal and the shimmering surface are reminiscent of the surreal atmosphere of a full moon night. In the 1980s Kuramata discovered entirely new materials for his furniture designs, such as acrylic glass and expanded metal. Thus he created transparent, seemingly weightless pieces of furniture which invoke traditional forms despite their modernity. Here the construction of a massive upholstered chair is reduced to simple geometric shapes and a dematerialized surface. The expanded metal gives the chair the necessary stability. Vitra produced the armchair from 1987 to 2009.

The chair is 70 cm high and measures 94 x 82.5 cm. It is in very good condition with minimal signs of use.

Shiro Kuramata (1934-1991)

Shiro Kuramata studied architecture at the Technical University in Tokyo and then trained as a cabinetmaker at Kuwasawa Institute of Design. He initially worked for the furniture manufacturer Teikoku before establishing his own design office in Tokyo in 1965. He received commissions for the interior decoration of over 300 bars, restaurants as well as clubs and furnished the boutiques of the Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake in New York, Paris and Tokyo. He also designed furniture, for instance for the Memphis group in Milan, which introduced him to an international public. In 1981 Kuramata was honored with the Japanese Culture Award for Design. With his experimental creations Kuramata is considered a pioneer of Japanese design and remains one of the most coveted designers of the 20th century. (afa)

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.