From his cheerful Getsuen Lily chair to his provocative Ginza robot cabinet, Masanori Umeda’s furniture designs are often described by critics and collectors alike as poetic, ironic and full of whimsy.
Umeda was born in 1941 in Kanagawa, graduating from Tokyo’s Kuwasawa Design School in 1962. In 1967, he moved to Milan, Italy, where he began his design career working in the studio of Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. From 1970 to 1979, Umeda was a design consultant for the Olivetti studio, and there he met prolific furniture designer and architect Ettore Sottsass, who founded the Memphis Group, Italy's boldest, brashest postmodern design movement.
In the early 1980s, Umeda joined Memphis, creating his most famous piece, the Tawayara boxing ring seating unit in 1981. Comprising a monochrome, Tatami matte floor, tie-dyed cushions, bungee-style ropes and flexible lighting at each of the four corners, the Tawayara was Umeda’s homage to space-constrained Japanese living areas. It remains one of Umeda’s rarest pieces (only 30 were ever made). Fashion designer and icon Karl Lagerfeld once owned a Tawayara boxing ring that featured prominently in his Monaco apartment.
In 1986, Umeda returned to Japan and opened his U-MetaDesign Studio (now Umeda Design Studio Inc.) in Tokyo, garnering accolades for his uniquely lighthearted collection of armchairs, lounge chairs, table lamps and decorative objects.
Over the course of his career, Umeda has won several awards, including the BraunPrize in 1968, the Grand Prix of Japan Display Design Award in 1981, the Japan Commercial Space Design Award in 1984 and the Grand Prix of Good Design Award in 1990.
Umeda continues to design furnishings that embody the spirit of postmodernism, enjoying collaborations with Memphis Milano and Italian furniture manufacturer Edra. His pieces have been exhibited internationally and are held in the collections of museums around the world, including the M+ Museum in Hong Kong, which acquired more than 180 of his works in 2015.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage Masanori Umeda seating, lighting and serveware.
Orinoco Ceramic Vase, by Masanori Umeda from Memphis Milano
By Masanori Umeda, Memphis Group, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Orinoco Vase in ceramic, was originally designed in 1983 by Masanori Umeda. Was born in 1941 at Kanagawa in Japan. He obtained his diploma from the Kuwasawa School of Design in Tok...
Ceramic
$1,576 / set
H 19.69 in Dm 8.67 in
Set/3 Vases, Ceramic Vases, White, Handmade in Portugal by Lusitanus Home
By Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Nebula Vases, Lusitanus Home Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Lusitanus Home. This beautiful set includes three waterproof ceramic vases, perfect to be displayed to...
Ceramic
Memphis Style Ceramic Vase, Italy
By Memphis Group
Located in Brussels, BE
Memphis style ceramic vase, Italy.
Ceramic
$892 / set
H 4.73 in Dm 14.18 in
Set/5 Ceramic Vases & Bowl, Green, Handmade in Portugal by Lusitanus Home
By Lusitanus Home, Greenapple
Located in Lisboa, PT
Set/5 Ceramic Vases and Bowl, White & Green, Lusitanus Home Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by Lusitanus Home. This beautiful set includes four waterproof ceramic v...
Ceramic
$1,113
H 4.34 in Dm 13.78 in
Postmodern Memphis Style Centerpiece Bowl in Pink and Black Glazed Ceramic, 1980
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Brescia, Brescia
A striking postmodern centerpiece in the spirit of Ettore Sottsass and the Memphis movement, where geometry, color, and balance converge into a bold sculptural statement. The compos...
Ceramic
Italy 1960 Mid-Century White Enameled Ceramic Vase
By Deruta
Located in Brescia, IT
Italian design 1960 white enameled ceramic vase with flowers and animals drawings in midcentury style similar to Gio Ponti style. This very nice vase is made by Deruta, an Italian f...
Ceramic
$1,391
H 12.21 in Dm 5.52 in
Nilo Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for the Collection Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano
Located in Beirut, LB
The Nilo vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. Produced by Memphis in 2013-2014. A classic by Sottsass, the Nilo porcelain vase is par...
Porcelain
$811
H 9.06 in W 7.88 in D 7.88 in
A Memphis Milano Post-Modern Ceramic Vase By Marco Zanini for Bitossi
By Marco Zanini, Bitossi
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This Marco Zanini vase for Bitossi is a quintessential example of the Memphis Milano style, characterized by its bold colors, geometric shapes, and playful, innovative design. The va...
Ceramic
Memphis Milano Carrot Vase by Nathalie Du Pasquier
By Nathalie du Pasquier, Memphis Milano
Located in Toronto, ON
Nathalie Du Pasquier focuses on contrasting colours for Carrot, a cylindrical handpainted blue ceramic vase with two bands relying on decorative decals, sublimated in the kiln. Desig...
Ceramic, Paint
Post Modern Ikebana Vase, Ceramic, Memphis Style, Japan, 1980s
By Memphis Group, Toyo
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Post Modern Ikebana Vase, Japan, 1980's "interesting form and nice color" "in good as found condition with one small imperfection - see images"
Ceramic
$562
H 11.23 in W 7.09 in D 7.09 in
Memphis Milano Style Handmade Ceramic Vase Made by Wilma Van Der P
Located in Doornspijk, NL
This ceramic vase is actually composed of two vases riveted together, having each their own shape, color and style. One is triangular matte black and handleless and only glazed on th...
Ceramic
$173
H 11.82 in Dm 16.54 in
Postmodern Tray / Centerpiece Mas Italia in the Style of Memphis Milano, 1980s
By Memphis Milano
Located in Lille, FR
Postmodern tray / centerpiece Mas Italia in the style of Memphis Milano, 1980s.
Metal
Euphrates Vase, Designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano
By Ettore Sottsass, Memphis Milano, Memphis Group
Located in Beirut, LB
The Euphrates vase was originally designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1983 for Memphis Milano 1981-1988. A classic by Sottsass, the Euphrates porcelain vase is part of three 'rivers' vase...
Porcelain