After the German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe put forward the concept that "less is more," stark simplicity and rigidly geometrical structures dominated design and architecture in the second half of the 20th century. During the 1980s, however, some designers opted out of this trend, triggering lively discourse between followers of van der Rohe's dictum and supporters of deliberate ornamentation.
The philosophy of the breakaway designers is summed up by French designer and architect Philippe Starck, who said "I don't believe in `less is more.' I believe in `less and more.' We don't have to make a choice between the two, but to let them exist at the same time."
"Moins et Plus" (Less and More) at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum is an exhibition -- on loan from the French culture ministry's national foundation of contemporary art -- that emphasizes this variety in the realm of design between 1980 and 2000.
The museum has set up 11 areas to display the works of 11 prominent European designers, as well as areas to demonstrate the design concepts of unification, fragmentation, piling up and combination.
Of the 570 works on exhibit, Starck, famous for refurbishing the private apartments of the Elysee Palace in Paris for former French president Francois Mitterrand, is represented with more than 100 pieces.
His designs from the 1980s are defined by his keyword "objet-minimum" (object-minimum). Easy Light, a portable light tube in the most basic possible shape, devoid even of a visible switch, is one of his first "object-minimum" works. In the 1990s Starck's works followed his own concept of "anonymat plus" (anonymity more), which aimed to reconcile "more" and "less." A line of lamps named Miss Sissi, with their basic shape, rich texture and exquisite color, is a prime example from this period.
With furniture design in Taiwan still dominantly minimalist, viewers of this exhibition may find that what catches their eye most are the works by Italian designers, whose pieces are wonderfully playful and who integrate decorative arts into their designs.
Denis Santachiara's Doormat with Songbird on Stem, for example, can chirp greetings to incoming guests. A lamp, by the same artist, titled ltalian Nocturne ingeniously projects fence-jumping sheep on the wall. His thoughtful designs, which appeared in the Venice Biennale in 1980, stress the "softness" of objects.
Matali Crasset's works explore "less" in a unique way. A broomstick is used as a coat rack, while a clothes hanger holds a lamp shade, confounding ideas of functionality.
At a time when the line separating fashion and poster design from fine art has long vanished, and working with mixed media is becoming the leading trend, ingenious designs like Crasset's at this exhibition may remind you that even the stool you sit on can be art.
Art Notes:
What: Moins et plus (Less and more)
Where: Taipei Fine Arts Museum, 181 Chungshan N. Rd., Sec. 3, Taipei (台北市立美術館，中山北路3段181號)
When: Until Sept. 23
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