Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Few designers have blended Minimalism and Surrealism into artistic furniture as successfully as Shiro Kuramata. His experimentation with form, function, color and motif informed cabinets, chairs and side tables that are as mystifying as they are visually striking.
Born in Tokyo in 1934, Kuruamata studied at the Kuwasawa Design School. In the 1970s and ’80s, he explored industrial materials in his designs. Inspired by Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass, Kuramata produced irreverent and bold work. In 1981, Kuramata joined Sottsass in his founding of the Memphis Group, named for a Bob Dylan song. The Milan-based collective aimed to turn the status quo on its head and redefine what was considered appealing in modern furniture style.
His experience with the Memphis Group led Kuramata to embrace unconventional optical effects. No piece embodies this more skillfully than the Miss Blanche chair. Crafted with transparent resin and flecked with rose-petal flecks, it gives the illusion that the sitter is floating.
The How High the Moon armchair is a prime example of his playful nature and willingness to challenge the expectations for furniture design. Including shards of colored glass in concrete surfaces, his “star piece” material was prevalent throughout his work, giving the tops of his end tables and coffee tables a brazen, gem-encrusted appearance. His daring approach to design can also be seen in pieces like his sheer glass bookcases with their seemingly fragile shelves.
Kuramata created many visual delights before his death in 1991. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His pieces remain highly prized by collectors and design enthusiasts worldwide.
On 1stDibs, explore a selection of vintage Shiro Kuramata seating, storage pieces, decorative objects and more.
1970s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Acrylic
1970s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Acrylic
1970s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Acrylic
1970s Japanese Post-Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Acrylic
1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Metal
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Brass
1970s Spanish Space Age Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Wood
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Wood, Pine
2010s Indian Post-Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Brass
1970s European Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Metal
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Fabric, Walnut
1990s Japanese Post-Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Stainless Steel
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Metal
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Brass
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Metal
1970s Italian Minimalist Vintage Shiro Kuramata Lighting
Steel