I decided to start navigating Newson’s work by just looking at his portfolio. From his website I could see that his designs fall in various fields of art from furniture to fashion; and from the details in his work I perceived that he likes to experiment with different visual textures and materials which according to him are essential elements for the composition, meaning and most importantly concept he tries to express.
I believe we sometimes disregard the importance of the materials designers use and we tend to mainly focus on the functionality of the object. Which is why I came to further appreciate his work compared to the designers we have been discussing in the previous weeks; whom I personally view to be more conceptual (Starck) and practical (Dyson). Starck stands out for his versatility and innovation while Dyson is more engineering focused by approaching technologically advance household products. In terms of Newson’s work, the importance he gives to the use of different materials makes me think more of him as an artist; even though he disagrees with my statement in the interview, by just looking at his work from an outside perspective I see more creativity with the use of colors, patterns and shapes than Dyson and Starck. However, the three of them also share some similarities when it comes to their influence in the design industry. They are constantly seeking for innovation as each of them emphasizes in pushing the boundaries of what we know as “conventional design”.
Work:
My favorite work by Marc Newson is definitely the exhibition he did for Gagosian Gallery, in 2019. I think that the collection displays Marc’s ability to convey all the knowledge he has of various disciplines into his craftsmanship as he used different materials to create beautiful and unique pieces. Besides, it showcases the influence that asian culture and artistic techniques of the area have had in Newson’s work. I am not necessarily a fan of the ergonomics of the furniture pieces, but the patterns are something to highlight and they are very visually appealing, it resembles Chinese pottery.
“Their patterns and motifs reveal Marc’s wide-ranging aesthetic influences: from his signature ‘orgone’ pattern to more traditional Chinese floral motifs, such as large magnolias on a white ground, or cherry blossom branches set against opaque black enamel.”
On the other hand, my least favorite design has to be the Bumper Bed. I get that the idea is to have this feeling of sleeping on the floor, I wouldn’t put this piece in my home since I am not a fan of the aesthetics it would give the space because it literally looks like an inflatable mattress.
