Masanori Umeda Seating
Japanese, b. 1941
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.
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Creator: Masanori Umeda
Getsuen, Lilly Chair, Designed by Masanori Umeda, Edra Italy
By Edra, Masanori Umeda
Located in Palm Desert, CA
A reupholstered iconic and whimsical sculptural lounge chair designed by Masanori Umeda for Edra, Italy, circa 1990. Aptly named Getsuen—which means “Moon Flower” in Japanese—this st...
Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Masanori Umeda Seating
Materials
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Early 90's Production Getsuen & Rose Lounge Chairs Masanori Umeda for Edra Italy
By Edra, Masanori Umeda
Located in bergen op zoom, NL
Pair of early 1990's production Getsuen & Rose Flower lounge chairs by Japanese designer Masanori Umeda for Edra Italy 1990
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Category
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Soshun Flower Stools by Masanori Umeda for Edra, Italy, 1990s
By Masanori Umeda, Edra
Located in Antwerp, BE
Striking 'Soshun' flower stools by Masanori Umeda for Edra, Italy, 1990s. Designed as sculptural blossoms, each stool features a velvet seat in deep crimson, evoking the softness and...
Category
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MEMPHIS "TAWARAYA" Boxing Ring Installation Seating Pod / Masanori Umeda (Japan)
By Masanori Umeda
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The TAWARAYA Ring by Masanori Umeda for MEMPHIS srl is one of that design movements most famous & critically-discussed pieces from the inaugural MEMP...
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1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Masanori Umeda Seating
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Laminate, Wood
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Masanori Umeda seating for sale on 1stDibs.
Masanori Umeda seating are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of metal and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Masanori Umeda seating, although red editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original seating by Masanori Umeda were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider seating by Meritalia, Brunati, and Nicoletti Salotti. Prices for Masanori Umeda seating can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,447 and can go as high as $45,000, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,961.