Hasta La Ideas

Tate Modern has devoted an area of its new Switch House building to exploring the work of British designer Jasper Morrison.

Rather than containing large exhibitions, rooms in the newly opened extension are themed around specific individuals.

The display dedicated to Morrison – who provided furniture to decorate the Switch House interiors – is titled Thingness. It includes works that date back to 1984, alongside detailed commentary from the designer himself.

Morrison’s Thinking Man’s Chair, the first piece he created for Cappellini in 1986, is among the objects on display. Its dramatic curved structure is based on an antique chair that was missing its seat, and was modelled using a packet of pipe cleaners.

The collection also includes other pieces created for the Italian brand, like Morrison’s Red Carpet and Universal System of storage.

Other classic designs featured in the exhibition are the 1988 Plywood chair for Vitra – made by the designer using an electric jigsaw and set of ship’s curves – and a range of homeware for Alessi.

Visitors can gain further insight into Morrison’s design process through models and drawings for his Air Chair for Magis.

Other highlights include a showcase of the designer’s foray into electronics – a kettle designed for Muji and set of alarm clocks for Punkt – as well as his longstanding partnership with lighting brand Flos.

A prototype of his Superloon floorlamp is on display, alongside his earlier Smithfield pendant.

Morrison’s Luxmaster floor lamp, which includes an adjustable light and a wound cable similar to that of old telephones, also features.

To tie in with the display, the Tate Modern Shop is selling several pieces designed by Morrison, like his Punkt alarm clocks and December chair.

Morrison has recently been expanding his remit outside of furniture and lighting, creating his first industrially produced kitchen for Schiffini, and designing a prefab cabin for Muji.

Thingness continues at the Tate Modern until 2 October 2016.

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