With its undulating, futuristic and playful form, it’s easy to see why filmmaker Stanley Kubrick chose to use Olivier Mourgue’s iconic Djinn chair in his 1968 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey. But the French artist and industrial designer is known for much more than the Space Age Djinn. From his whimsical Flower floor lamps to his anthropomorphic Bouloum chair, Mourgue is renowned as an important contributor to the 1960s Pop art era of modern furniture design.
Born in Paris in 1939, Mourgue grew up in an apartment filled with Empire-style antique furniture, which he derided as having “nothing to do with life.” He later studied art at Paris’s École Boulle, graduating in 1958. He then attended the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs.
In 1959, his former teacher at École Boulle, Marcel Merpillat, encouraged him to present a chair he designed at a competition hosted by furniture manufacturer Airborne. Airborne founder Charles Bernard was impressed by Mourgue’s design, which featured a leather-upholstered seat attached to a chrome steel frame; it was produced by the company under the name the Joker. Mourgue designed several other mid-century modern pieces for Airborne throughout the 1960s, including the Whist chaise longue, the rotund Montreal chair, the unique Cubique chair and the Djinn series, which first appeared in 1964.
In addition to Airborne, Mourgue has designed for furniture manufacturers such as Disderot and Prisunic, and collaborated with British architect and designer Sir Norman Foster and Finnish architect Juhani Pallasmaa.
Mourgue worked for Le Mobilier National to design the French Pavilion for Montreal’s Expo ‘67. In 1968, he received the International Design Award from the Institute of Interior Designers in New York for the Djinn lounge chair. He also exhibited several of his works at Expo ‘70 in Osaka, Japan.
Today, Mourgue’s pieces are part of the permanent collections at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Olivier Mourgue seating, lighting and more.
$4,203Sale Price|20% Off
Canapé 3 Places Whist Vintage par Olivier Mourgue pour Airborne, 1964, 1960
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in SAINT-SEVER, FR
Canapé 3 Places Whist Vintage par Olivier Mourgue pour Airborne, 1964,
Stainless Steel
Olivier Mourgue Joker Leather Armchair
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Olivier Mourgue leather chair edited by Airborne in the 1960's, model " Joker " Chrome steel base with straps and original leather cushion
Chrome
$4,580Sale Price|20% Off
H 39.38 in W 116.15 in D 37.41 in
Canapé " LOS ANGELES " en poils Blanc Par Alexandre Ligios
By Alexandre Ligios
Located in MARRAKECH, MA
Le canapé Los Angeles incarne la douceur et la légèreté, avec son design unique inspiré des contours d'un nuage. Ses courbes organiques et généreuses apportent une sensation de confo...
Velvet, Wood
Olivier Mourgue "Djinn" Daybed for Airborne, France 1965
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Utrecht, NL
French industrial designer Oliver Mourgue obtained his degree in Interior Design at the prestigious École Boulle, from where he went on to pursue his passion in furniture design at t...
Fabric, Upholstery
$10,531
H 25.6 in W 66.93 in D 23.63 in
Green space age Djinn lounge chair by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne 1964
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Antwerpen, Antwerp
Djinn lounge chair designed by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne. The iconic Lounge chair was designed in 1964 and the Djinn series became a hallmark of Mourgue’s work. It was used in the...
Fabric
Djinn Armchair and Ottoman by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Iconic Djinn armchair and ottman designed by Olivier Mourgue for French company Airborne. Tubular steel frame and original fabric. Imported from Denmark. Needs upholstery. Ottoman me...
Fabric
$6,894 / set
H 25.79 in W 27.56 in D 27.76 in
Djinn Armchair and Ottoman by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Kelkheim (Taunus), HE
Designer Olivier Mourgue Brand Airborn, France Era 1960’s Material metall, foam, black fabric Size 70 cm x 70,5 cm x 65,5 cm I 36,5 cm Size ottoman 71 cm × 57 cm × 39,5 cm Con...
Metal
Restored Olivier Mourgue "Djinn" Chaise Lounge for Airborne
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Berlin, DE
Newly upholstered Djinn Chaise Lounge in Kvadrat Tonus wool fabric. The color as close as it was shown in the 2001 movie by Stanley Kubrick. Excel...
Metal
$6,000
H 25 in W 69 in D 24 in
French 'Djinn' Chaise Lounge by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne International, 1965
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Chicago, IL
The 'Djinn' chaise lounge, designed by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne International in 1965, is an icon of futuristic and Space Age design. Characterized by its fluid, low-slung silhou...
Upholstery
$21,063
H 26.38 in W 33.47 in D 24.81 in
Olivier Mourgue pair of rare Montreal armchairs Airborne France 1967
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Paris, FR
References: ARC-Mobilier National public collection, inventory number GMT-22591-014 Commissioned by the Mobilier National for the French pavilion at the 1967 Universal Exhibition. O...
Metal, Chrome
$11,685
H 70 in W 100 in D 240 in
Canapé- lit "Anfibio" par Alessandro Becchi pour Giovannetti des années 1970
By Alessandro Becchi
Located in Paris, FR
Canapé-lit Anfibio d'Alessandro Becchi pour Giovannetti, 1972. Entièrement restauré et recouvert de tissus italien marron de haute qualité. Matelas rembourré avec de la laine de mo...
Cotton
Rare Olivier Mourgue 'Whist' Chaise Longue in Black Leather
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Olivier Mourgue for Airborne, chaise longue, black leather, steel, France, 1960s A rare chaise lounge from the 'Whist' collection by Olivier Mourgue. The piece is wonderful in its d...
Steel
Djinn Sofa by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne, France, 1960s
By Olivier Mourgue
Located in Antwerp, BE
Djinn sofa by Olivier Mourgue for Airborne, 1960s France, an iconic sofa upholstered in luxurious white bouclé. It is inspired by the mythical shape-shifting djinn of Arab culture, i...
Metal