100 rare and unusual pieces of post-modern design from the 1980s and 90s were put together for the exhibition by Eclecticó Studio, which offered a fresh look at the vibrant design movement during Paris Art and Design Week in March 2023. The gallery, founded in 2013 by Stefan Cosma, operates in three cities: Bucharest, Paris, and Ibiza. The gallery sees itself as a showcase for postmodern design, and over the years has amassed a collection of rare sculptures, furniture, and totems.
“Eclecticó Studio is one of the largest postmodern design galleries. We focus on researching the context of the period, analyzing connections between international artists, and creating exhibitions, catalogs, and sound collaborations,” says Stefan Kosma, gallery owner, and exhibition curator. Archetypes of Desire explores four different design trends within the postmodern movement. The exposition includes prototypes and design objects of both famous and lesser-known creators. According to Kosma, about a third of the works are extremely rare or unique, and many are unknown even to major connoisseurs.
Postmodern design, which appeared in the second half of the 1970s, is a bold combination of simple elements and shapes, combined with each other and forming incredible combinations and many shades. Postmodernism was a reaction to modernism, and its playfulness and flamboyance refreshed the austerity of 20th-century cities. The uncomplicated and geometric forms of this movement aroused interest due to the unusual combination of shapes and colors, often referring to classical symbols.
Vibrant colors are familiar to the Memphis Group and are represented by objects by Ettore Sottsass. At the same time, monochrome minimalism is explored through the strict forms of Martin Szekely and Paolo Pallucco’s Sedia furniture series. The lamps-prototypes of the “Metal Garden” by Bohuslav Horak speak of biomimicry and the forms inherent in nature. They are contrasted with the “neo-baroque” works of the Czech architect Borzek Shipek and Galerie Néotù. Also shown are the works of Nanna Ditzel, Cesare Leonardi, Mireille Rivier, Dietmar Weirauch, Enzo Mari, Javier Mariscal, François Scali and Alain Domingo, Bohuslav Horak, Philippe Starck, Marco Zanuso, Christophe Pillet.
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