Less Is a Bore: Reflections on Memphis

Enamored of decorative ornament, posing a challenge to modernism's hegemony and drawing inspiration from the realm of architecture, the provocative designs of the Italian group Memphis (1981-88) caused something of a stir.

Less Is a Bore: Reflections on Memphis contextualizes the creative universe of the designers around Ettore Sottsass in relation to works by international artists, from Memphis' predecessors to its present-day heirs. Memphis' obsessive enthusiasm for the expressive possibilities of surface and everyday culture is connected to the work of artists such as Raymond Barion, Eva Berendes, Barbara Kasten, Graham Little and Tobias Rehberger. The book outlines their shared stylistic history in design and art, shaped by the phenomena of mass culture and fashion. Exploring Memphis' place in the design, art and pop culture of the 20th and 21st centuries, Less Is a Bore reveals the importance of the group's playful provocations.