MEMPHIS
Kunst Kitsch Kult
a design movement change the world

In September, 2002 two important exhibitions focused on Memphis history have been held in Austria.

They have taken place in two separate locations, one of them in the very center of the city of Vienna, at the famous Looshaus on Michaelerplatz, the legendary building by Adolf Loos; the other at the Kunsthalle Krems, a well regarded space for major exhibitions on modern and contemporary art half an hours drive from Vienna.

Thematically the shows will be split - the larger one at the so called Designzone Looshaus of the Raiffeisenlandesbank NÖ-Wien, has been a retrospective, presenting mainly the objects and statements of and has taken place from September 9 until October 19, 2002.
About 60 Objects, original drawings, posters, some of them out of the treasure-boxes of the designers themselves, have illustrated the Memphis-style; several statements by reknown protagonists of the design-world, people involved, influenced or in other ways related to Memphis, have given the viewer insights in this phenomenon from different perspectives.

Some of the Objects, like the "Cipriani" bar cabinet by Alessandro Mendini have been reproduced especially for this exhibition.
A catalogue about this exhibition has been issued.

Ettore Sottsass was present at the opening of the exhibition on September 9th, 2002.

The second exhibition, focusing on the current works of the Memphis founders and members in the Year 1981, was displayed at the Kunsthalle Krems from September 7 until September 29, 2002.
Ettore Sottsass, as the mastermind of the Memphis-Group has had a very own, easily recognizable language of design.
Other members of this group have gone very different ways. Where they are today and what they are looking at will be displayed at the Kunsthalle Krems.
From Nathalie du Pasquier, who has dedicated herself to painting, Terry Jones, who became one of the most influential Art Directors in the World of fashion magazines, to those who continued their successful careers as designers and architects like Andrea Branzi, Martine Bedin, Aldo Cibic, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves, Hans Hollein, Alessandro Mendini, Paola Navone, Peter Shire, George Sowden, Matteo Thun and Masanori Umeda.

Both exhibitions were designed by Lilli Hollein.