Ora ïto’s Grammatology is an artistic alphabet

French designer Ora ïto's abstract wall pieces on the walls of two galleries

Grammatology Part 1, at Galerie Podgorny in St-Paul de Vence

(Image credit: Galerie Podgorny)

French designer Ora ïto has recently been working on a series of public transport projects in France, from the transformation of the lively urban hub of Place Castellane in Marseille to a progressive new tram line in Nice. Whether working on mobility, product or spatial design, for the past 25 years, an ‘alphabet’ rooted in modernism and postmodernism that he calls ‘Grammatology’ has always been foundational. Now, he has given form to this language for the first time through a series of contemporary sculptures, presented in a two-part exhibition in two personally meaningful locations in the south of France.

&iuml;to sat beneath one of his works on show at Galerie Podgorny — ïto sat beneath one of his works on show at Galerie Podgorny

Sketched then digitally designed and manufactured in aluminium and resin, the ‘Grammatology’ objects are like aerodynamic buttons with smooth, curved edges. ‘The intensity of the line creates a vibration of energy,’ he explains – the objects’ bright, optimistic forms appear to float, seemingly defying gravity. As a designer usually bound by constraints of daily life, ïto delights in working with a lack of function too, crafting these deconstructed building blocks to the graphic interface through which we experience the global, dynamic, technological and ergonomic world.

Their lineage back to the abstraction and functionalism of the 20th century can be understood through the contexts in which they are presented. Firstly, at Podgorny gallery in St-Paul de Vence, where ïto’s grandfather owned the Galerie Frédéric Gollong. It was here that he became well-acquainted with the art of Alexander Calder and Joan Miró, today reflected in the rotative and swooping curves of the artwork’s edges. And now, at Galerie Kolektiv, on the third floor ‘Street’ of the Cité Radieuse in Marseille, where the works follow the primary colour scheme and the ‘Modular’ measurements upon which Le Corbusier based the architecture.

French designer Ora ito's abstract wall pieces on the walls of two galleries — Grammatology, Part II, presented at the Galerie Kolektiv Cité Radieuse

Marseille is the city where ïto grew up and as a designer he has become synonymous with the Cité Radieuse after founding the Marseille Modulor (MAMO) gallery on its rooftop in 2013. His work with artists such as Daniel Buren, Dan Graham and Felice Varini has evolved the reputation of the building as an exploratory destination for contemporary art, design and culture: ‘Form follows function, yet sometimes form can follow your ideas,’ he says.

Grammatology, Part I, was on show at the Galerie Podgorny in Saint Paul-de-Vence from 15 May to 15 July. Grammatology, Part II, presented at the Galerie Kolektiv Cité Radieuse in the Unité d'Habitation Le Corbusier in Marseille from 18 July to 24 August

ora-ito.com

Grammatology, Part II, presented at the Galerie Kolektiv Cit&eacute; Radieuse in the Unit&eacute; d'Habitation Le Corbusier in Marseille — Grammatology, Part II, presented at the Galerie Kolektiv Cité Radieuse in the Unité d'Habitation Le Corbusier in Marseille

TOPICS

Harriet Thorpe is a writer, journalist and editor covering architecture, design and culture, with particular interest in sustainability, 20th-century architecture and community. After studying History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and Journalism at City University in London, she developed her interest in architecture working at Wallpaper* magazine and today contributes to Wallpaper*, The World of Interiors and Icon magazine, amongst other titles. She is author of The Sustainable City (2022, Hoxton Mini Press), a book about sustainable architecture in London, and the Modern Cambridge Map (2023, Blue Crow Media), a map of 20th-century architecture in Cambridge, the city where she grew up.