Shiro Kuramata

Kuramata (1934-1191) applied traditional Japanese aesthetics with innovative materiality in 1970's and 80's Japan. He created a sense of floating and transparency, using industrial materials, acrylic, steel mesh, aluminum, and glass. His designs seem to break free from gravity, and are similarly boundless in terms of identity, by merging categories such as Japanese or Western, minimalist or postmodern. Kuramata's obsession with ephemerality is evident in his furniture (see photos below), as is his fascination with western culture and the postmodern experimental playfulness of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis group.  http://www.shirokuramata.com/

Nathalie du Pasquier

Nathalie du Pasquier is a prolific French designer who moved to Milan in 1979 and was a founding member of the Memphis Group. She designed patterns for textiles, rugs, wallpaper and furniture laminates for Memphis until 1987, when she turned her focus to painting. She recently launched a collaboration with Christophe Lemaire for his S/S 2013 collection.

See her work and archive: nathaliedupasquier.com

Patterns from 1984

Paintings, 2012

NduP for Christophe Lemaire