Perry King (b. 1938 ) British Industrial, Graphic and Product Designer

Education

He attended Birmingham College of Art.

Biography

He worked at Olivetti, where he designed office machinery, starting in 1956. He collaborated with Hans Von Klier on C. Castelli’s corporate design program. He was designing dictating machines for Süd-Atlas Werke in Monaco and electronic apparatus and control systems for Praxis in Milan.

He produced furniture as well as the Planula, Agliana catalogue (Italy). He created the Valentine typewriter in 1969. (with Ettore Sottsass).

From 1972, he was the design coordinator for the corporate identity programme of Olivetti. For Olivetti, he also created a typeface. King-Miranda Associati began working on the project Limited Horizons in Milan in 1975, collaborating with Santiago Miranda on environmental design, industrial design, furniture, interior design, and graphics.

Blue "Aurora" Pendant by Perry King and Santiago Miranda for Arteluce — Blue “Aurora” Pendant by Perry King and Santiago Miranda for Arteluce

For Olivetti, King and Miranda, he produced posters and catalogues and brand identity initiatives for other companies. He designed lighting for Arteluce (including the Donald table lamp from the early 1970s), Flos (many examples with Giancarlo Arnaldi), Marcatré’s Cable office system and Air Mail chair, and Black and Decker’s power tools.

Arteluce’s Aurora glass pendant lamp from 1985 foreshadowed future designs. For Tisettanta he created their Bloom bookshelf device in 1988, and for Veart created their Bergamo Murano glass bowl in 1987.

They planned the Lucerno lighting set for the 1992 Seville ‘Expo ’92’ public areas. King was a member of ADI (Associazione per il Disegno Industriale) and SIAD (Society for Industrial Design) (Society of Industrial Artists and Designers).

Exhibitions

His work was on display at the Frederick S. Wright Art Gallery, University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1979 ‘Design Process Olivetti 1908 – 1978’ exhibition.