The prolific designer was the guest of honour at an intimate luncheon that heralded the exhibition’s opening on Tuesday. Dozens of his Tokyo studio’s collaborations with top-notch brands, including Foscarini, Maruni and cosmetics brand Three, will pepper the showroom for the next few weeks.
At the exhibit’s entrance, Nendo has installed the ethereal, blown-glass Growing Vases chandelier for lighting manufacturer Lasvit. Elsewhere, such Cappellini fair as the stainless steel Seketei chair, glass-and-steel Thin Black table and metal Drop bookcase, are displayed alongside the studio’s recently launched pieces for Bisazza Bagno.
But the showstopper is the black&black collection for K%. This affordable collection features such products as the Weave partition, in glossy woven acrylic; the Melt dining chair, with its curvilinear armrest and back; and the cleverly latticed Scissors magazine rack. The pieces confirm Nendo as a tour de force, with an output that’s both prolific and endlessly imaginative.
Oki Sato at Luminaire is open until the first week of July at 301 West Superior St. in Chicago.