Less is a Bore. Reflections on Memphis
KAI 10 | Arthena Foundation/Julia Höner/Monika Schnetkamp

Enamoured of decorative ornament, posing a challenge to all-powerful modernism, and drawing inspiration from the realm of architecture, the provocative designs of Italian group Memphis (1981–1988) caused something of a stir. Less Is a Bore: Reflections on Memphis contextualizes the creative universe of the designers around Ettore Sottsass in relation to the works of artists Raymond Barion, Eva Berendes, Barbara Kasten, Graham Little, and Tobias Rehberger. The book outlines their shared stylistic history in design and art, which has been given impetus by the phenomena of mass culture as well as by fashion and the history of culture and is reflected in an obsessive enthusiasm for the expressive possibilities of surfaces. The book classifies Memphis in the context of the design, art, and pop culture of the 20th and 21st centuries. The Book is published in conjunction with the exhibition of the same name at KAI 10 | Arthena Foundation Dusseldorf (29 October 2016 – 11 February 2017).