This article forms part of the Decorative and Applied Arts Encyclopedia, a master reference hub providing a structured overview of design history, materials, movements, and practitioners.
Meta-Memphis was an Italian furniture manufacturing firm.
Background
Meta-Memphis was set up in 1988 when Ettore Sottsass, the founder of Memphis (1981—88), decided to close shop, stating that an innovative idea has five to seven years of life. Ernesto Gismondi, president of Artemide, which originally sold the Memphis line and gave it showroom space, retained ownership of the Memphis name. In 1989, in Venice, Gismondi unveiled what he called ‘Meta-Memphis.’ The initial collection consisted of 20 pieces by ten artist designers (unlike Sottsass’s industrial designers), including Sandro Chia, Joseph Kossuth, Lawrence Weiner, and Michelangelo Pistoletto. Sottsass scornfully disapproved of ‘art furniture’ and likewise of Meta-Memphis. The firm’s line was priced like fine art and not limited to furniture. The old designs from the Memphis collection continued to be produced.
Source
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
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