Richard Sapper, Museum of Art and Design, Helsinki

Richard Sapper
Museum of Art and Design, Helsinki
October 4 - November 4, 2001

Richard Sapper, born in 1932 in Munich, has interests scattered over a number of different disciplines. After studying philosophy, anatomy, graphics and engineering, and obtaining the degree in economical sciences at the Univerity of Munich, he entered in 1956 into the styling department of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart.

In 1958 he went to Italy, establishing himself in Milan and working first for Gio Ponti, then as a designer for "La Rinascente" department store chain, then until 1977 for a part of his activity with Marco Zanuso, in whose studio prize-winning radio and television receivers, telephone, the plastic children chair and a mobile living unit were designed. In 1959 he edited, together with Mario Spagnol, the Italian publication of the diaries of Paul Klee. In 1968 he joined Pio Manzů and William L. Plumb in organizing an exhibition of advanced architectural technology for the 14th Triennale, in Milan. From 1970 to 1976 he worked as a consultant to FIAT for designing test vehicles and to Pirelli, advising on the design of new tires tread patterns.

In 1971 he participated at the exhibition "Italy, the New Domestic Landscape"at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, presenting his mobile living unit designed with Zanuso. In 1972 he collaborated with Gae Aulenti in organizing a study group to develop urban transit systems; he continued working in this field until the exhibit at the 16th Triennale, in 1979.

Since 1980 Richard Sapper is the worldwide product design consultant of the IBM Corporation, working at the same time for a number of other companies.

Professor of Industrial Design at the Kustakademie in Stuttgart since 1986, he has taught at Yale, Vienna, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Milan (at the Domus Academy) and in 1995 in Beijing. In 1993 he has held personal exhibitions at the Museum of Applied Arts in Cologne, in Hamburg and in New York at the Museum of Modern Art.

His products have won the prestigious Italian prize "Compasso d’Oro" six times (in 1998 for the expresso coffee machine "Cobán Nespresso"), as well as a number of other international design prizes such as the "BIO Gold Medal", "Die Gute Form", etc. Some of his creations, like the "Tizio" lamp for Artemide and the "9090" coffee maker for Alessi, have been added to the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Richard Sapper is a honorary member of the Royal Society of Arts since 1988.

Today his main interests are complex systems, such as residential landscapes, office seating, electronic measuring devices and kitchen appliances.

MUSEUM OF ART AND DESIGN, HELSINKI
Korkeavuorenkatu 23, 00130 Helsinki
www.designmuseum.fi