ETTORE SOTTSASS (1917-2007)

The ironic title of the table 'Le Strutture Tremano', or 'The Structure Trembles' is a deliberate yet respectful play on the modernist idea of visible structure and functionality. In this table, the tubular metal legs are made to appear unstable, and illustrates Sottsass' interest in the workings of colour and pattern. The Alchymia collections Bau.haus I and II explored the idea of banality and kitsch in the everyday environment, drawing on the colour palette and elements of the design vocabulary of the 1950s, and represented a template for the establishment of Memphis in 1980.

An example of this design is retained in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London.