Ettore Sottsass

« Make Design, is not giving a shape to a more or less stupid product for an industry more or less luxurious. For me design is a way to debate about life"

Ettore Sottsass

Sottsass as we all know was anti-capitalist, ironic and utopian, and this is why he became part of the anti-design movement of his generation. 

He went beyond the style issue of seduction to make people consume more. Therefore, he wanted to have an impact on the artificial world that was surrounding him.

Thanks to his convictions and ideas he created various pieces such as "Pilastro" exposed in 1969  in the National Museum of Stockholm for the exhibition "Miljo for en my planet" Landscape for a new planet. 

This unique ceramic piece is striking by its dimensions (2 meters tall) and  its design. 

But to me what is standing out the most is the name he gave to the piece, "Pilaster installed at the border of the non violent country". 

This name shows how much he cared about the society and the world. How his design was not meant to be sold or for consumption but to discuss and denounce social situations. 

Furthermore, as I said before, this piece was striking for its dimension and design. Thus, the two meters were not shaped or formed by a unique piece, however, by hundreds and thousands of ceramic disks layed over each other. Through this method, I believe that he wanted to create this effect of unity. He showed to people how everyone could get together and be in peace. All those disks were not in reality disks but humans, societies that were meant to be in peace with each other. Moreover, I think that Sottsass made his piece vertical because he believed that people could rise their souls to heaven. The new planet he wanted to give to the museum of Stokholm was a planet of peace between people, societies and earth. 

Finally, I am certain and I believe that this kind of design considered as "crazy design" is more a striking and true design than most of the others. Of course, many people would consider design for museum as Art, however, I think and I believe that those people are creating new societies. 

Léa Blanchard