Eileen gray, irelands most influential furniture designer, one of whose chairs sold for 25million, died in paris in 1976 at the age of 98. Because her architecture emanated from a critical relationship to certain leaders of the european avantgarde, gray was both assailed by her peers and neglected in historical accounts of modernism. Pdf using the lens of recent feminist theory and gender studies, this paper offers a reading of e. Friedrich engels theory, according to whom the primary need of the workers was freedom in. Villa e1027 was analysed using bioclimatic theory and computer.
I argue that grays work develops a radically new economy of desire to which le corbusier responds with sexual violence, forcing himself on gray with the unwanted gift of a. Design theory involves an understanding of the tangible elements including form, space, proportion, color, scale, texture, structure grid, composition, line, shape and volume and how to arrange them to. Eileen gray, thoroughly modern maker furniture designer and architect eileen gray died nearly 40 years ago but is back with us in a big way. In tribute to him, she named it e1027, a code for the couples initials. Eileen gray, thoroughly modern maker the irish times. Built on a steep cliff as a bolthole for her and her then lover, romanianborn architect jean badovici, this house was gray s first foray into architecture, and has since become recognized as a classic example of the modernist architecture of the age.
Sunshine and shade in the architecture of eileen gray. The largest exhibition ever presented of grays designs was presented. Eileen gray s most iconic work is, arguably, her e. In some circles, irishborn eileen gray is the figurative posterchild for the 20th century woman. If there is seating on three sides of a platform the theory remains the same, however the minimum layout of. This compact and wellillustrated introduction to objects and furniture designed by eileen gray was published at a propitious time. Coming from an aristocratic irishscottish family, eileen gray went to london and paris to study architecture and design. A woman among modernists though her work has often been overshadowed by that of her peers such as le corbusier and marcel breuer, irish designer, lacquerartist, and architect eileen. I argue that gray s work develops a radically new economy of desire to which le corbusier responds with sexual violence, forcing himself on gray with the unwanted gift of a son. She knows that our time, with its new possibilities of living, necessitates new ways of feeling. Eileen gray architect designer painter irish museum of modern art 12 october 20 19 january 2014 this exhibition is a retrospective of the work of eileen gray, an important and influencial twentieth. Request pdf eileen gray eileen gray, centre pompidou, paris, february 20 may 20, 20eileen gray. Born in 1878 in county wexford, eileen gray was one of the leading protagonists of a revolution in design, in both theory and practice, spreading across europe during the 20th century.
Eileen gray occupies the centre of the modern movement, he wrote at the time. This anatomical skeleton, consisting of eight fundamental components, is what we derive more thoroughly. She first made a name for herself as a leading designer of. Eileen gray, architect, furniture and interior designer. She is the author of two books on home decor and sustainable design.
Eileen grays lavish lacquer pieces from the 1910s and 20s seem to situate her within the european art deco style, which was focused on exoticism and luxury. Her design is less concerned with loos interior architecture. E1027 is nowadays a historical monument and can be visited. Here, mary mcguckian writer and director of eileen. The first booklength feminist analysis of eileen grays work, eileen gray and. Designed and produced by the centre pompidou in paris, in collaboration with the irish museum of modern art. The nonheroic modernism of eileen gray caroline constant university of florida using the lens of recent feminist theory and gender studies, this paper offers a reading ofe. Eileen gray, centre pompidou, paris, february 20may 20, 20eileen gray. Eileen gray august 9, 1878october 31, 1976 was one of the pioneers of modernist design, but only relatively recently has she been recognized for her design contributions. E1027 is a house built by eileen gray for her lover, romanian architect jean badovici, in roquebrunecapmartin, france. In 1929, eileen gray completed the house at roquebrune, capmartin, france. Eileen gray designed and built a house for loveand lived to suffer the consequences. The minimum house designs of pioneer modernists eileen gray and. Eileen gray, serpent or dragon chair, circa 192022, leather and lacquered wood with silver leaf.
Eileen gray teachers resources master dd irish museum of. Eileen grays houses along the cote dazur villa e1027 192629. With her theories on design and architecture she left an indelible mark on our ideas about living. Gray moved to paris in 1902, where she was to spend most of her life. However, her legacy lives on thanks to a new exhibition and film. Eileen gray 1878 1976 born to a wealthy family in ireland in 1878, eileens interest in design began initially with painting, attending londons prestigious slade school of art. Post 1 bauhaus eileen gray 2016 green and interior design. The minimum house designs of pioneer modernists eileen gray and charlotte perriand by starlight vattano giorgia gaeta the article deals with the study of two projects of eileen gray, an architect who. By the time gray died at age 98, in 1976, she had finally been acknowledged as an early modern master. The minimum house designs of pioneer modernists eileen. Built on a steep cliff as a bolthole for her and her then lover.
Jackie craven has over 20 years of experience writing about architecture and the arts. Larchitecture daujourdhui to design a weekend house. The author argues that gray develops, in her design and architecture, an aesthetic of desire that radically challenges the particular modern movement that le corbusier championed and. Interior design architecture portrait of eileen gray, bernice abbott, paris, 1926 vorticism was an art movment which originated in england in 1914. Fabled modernist french villa e1027, designed by irish architect eileen gray, has witnessed wartime shootings, murder and vandalism by le corbusier. E standing for eileen, 10 for j as the 10th letter of the alphabet, 2 for badovici, and 7 for gray. Aged 20, she enrolled at the slade school of art in london. Beatriz colominas psychosexual, feminist critique is rather credible, especially given what nicholas fox webster has to say. Feminism and interior design in the 1960s manli zarandian introduction despite the attempts of many historians of interior design, as well as there being a great deal of existing literature, the issue of. Eileen grays table materials were industrial, with polished stainless steel tubes serving as the frames and the cushions and straps were made of black leather. About eileen gray, furniture designer and architect. Grays practice encompassed painting, furniture design. Architect, designer, painter, irish museum of modern art, dublin, october 12, 20.
In 1924 they began work on the construction of a house e1027 on a steep cliff overlooking the mediterranean at roquebrune near monaco. Eileen gray was born into an aristocratic irish family. Using the lens of recent feminist theory and gender studies, this paper offers a reading of e. Architect, designer, painter, irish museum of modern art. Villa e1027 was analysed using bioclimatic theory and computer simulation which. And when christies put yves saint laurents art and design collection on the block in 2009, her dragon. The article deals with the study of two projects of eileen gray, an architect who had. Eileen gray classicon en classic contemporary design. Pdf d gray man vol 20 download full pdf book download. Aram designs holds the worldwide head licence for eileen gray designs and is the only uk source for the authentic products. Eileen gray underscored the character of her endearing parlor lion with twinkling irony, she named it after the michelin man, whose form this armchair calls to mind.