The Tokyo and Milan-based design group Nendo has had a busy few months. Earlier this year, they were named 'designer of the year' by our illustrious panel of judges for Wallpaper's 2012 Design Awards. Now, in celebration of its tenth anniversary, the company - headed up by Oki Sato - is in the midst of a spate of exhibitions. Following a retrospective in Tokyo, they are currently putting on a duo of shows in Paris during Maison & Objet.
Settling in at Galerie Pierre-Alan Challier until 17 March is 'Object Dependency'. The canny collection of 14 pieces looks to invert the functional purpose of furniture with a series of 'weak furniture' by Nendo, intentionally created to be structurally incomplete. The pieces - the most memorable being a bookshelf that only becomes stable when books are placed on it - are inherently dependent on the addition of objects.
Carpenters Workshop Gallery is host to 'Static Bubbles', a testament to the Nendo approach of reshaping the familiar. A collection of poured and blown molten-glass tables (created in conjunction with glass-blowers) are on display along with a selection of sculptural objects fashioned out of agricultural wire.
As is typical, Nendo's designs are disarmingly simple at first sight, but on closer inspection reveal themselves to be clever and innovative, in construction, concept or both. Canadian-born Sato provides what he epigrammatically calls a small '!' moment. And over the past ten years, there have been plenty of those moments at Nendo.
'Farming-net' vases
'Farming-net' tables
'Innerblow' tables
'Outerflow' tables
'Scatter' shelf
Over at Pierre-Alain Challier Gallery, 'Object Dependency' - a canny collection of 14 pieces that looks to invert the functional purpose of furniture - is a series of 'weak furniture' intentionally created to be structurally incomplete. Pictured here is the 'Object Dependency' lamp
'Object Dependency' lamps
'Object Dependency' lamps
'Object Dependency' containers
'Object Dependency' containers
'Object Dependency' table
'Object Dependency' side table
'Object Dependency' wall shelf
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Nendo’s collaborations with Kyoto artisans go on view in New York‘Nendo sees Kyoto’ is on view at Friedman Benda (until 15 October 2022), showcasing the design studio's collaboration with six artisans specialised in ancient Japanese crafts
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17 designers and artists reinterpret Dior's ‘Medallion’ chairThe Dior ‘Medallion’ chair project marks the French maison's most significant presence at Milan’s Salone del Mobile to date
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Cultural crossings at Maison et Objet January 2020In Paris this January, Maison et Objet (17-21 January) spanned fun rides, poetic performances and a Mediterranean brand launch
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A new design, fashion and retail experience opens in ParisNew brand La Manufacture offers French allure and Italian craft under the creative crew of Robert Acouri, Milena Laquale and Luca Nichetto
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Designart Tokyo transforms the city into a living, multi-sensory museumThe third edition of the fair (18-27 October) showcases over 100 exhibitions across the Japanese capital
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