luxe minimalism: Rick Owens’ brutalist pieces of furniture at Milano Design Week

 

Between 4 – 10 September, American designer Rick Owens was on a dialog with emerging Italian Designers at the Salone del Mobile 2021 in Milan, Italy.

Over the years, California-born fashion and furniture designer Rick Owens has developed a number of signature materials, shapes, and visual archetypes and has influenced an entire generation of artists and sculptural designers. His brutalist pieces of furniture vary in finishes and textures, they can be black, golden or nitrate, but they all combine a stark modernist look with a contemporary minimalistic line.

The exhibition by Galerie Philia was focused on Rick Owens design works aesthetically questioned by contemporary Italian sculptural design artists. This unique event during the Milano Design Week weaved a dialog between a curated selection of emerging Italian designers and Rick Owens’ impactful design artworks. The list of exhibited artists includes dAM Atelier, Draga & Aurel, Lorenzo Bini, Agustina Bottoni, Samuel Costantini, Cara and Davide, Pietro Franceschini, Rick Owens, and Morghen Studio.

“My furniture is my couture. I’m using rare materials and artisans with specialized skills to create unique, one-of-a-kind objects.” – Rick Owens.

Rick Owens has developed a unique style that he describes as “luxe minimalism.” Though his designs are simple and spare, Owens thrives on theatricality — producing wildly original runway shows featuring gender-fluid models of all ages and shapes. Inspired by his longtime partner and muse, Michele Lamy, clothes and furniture alike feature dark grays, blacks and browns. Like his frontier forebears, Owens finds his strongest influences in nature — his furniture and housewares have simple, organic shapes, and a few items even feature his distinctly 21st century take on antlers.

At Galerie Philia, Rick Owens exibits square alchemy chairs, stools, and benches made from bronze, camel skin, and leather. The collection also includes bronze ashtrays, bowls, carafe lips, candle pillars, vases, lamps, and wall lamps.

Galerie Philia has a strong international presence, with galleries in Geneva, New York and Singapore. In addition to their permanent spaces, the gallery organises temporary group exhibitions and artists residencies in first-class locations around the world.

The gallery takes pride in discovering new talents, providing them with multiple international platforms to showcase their latest creations. Such designers include Cédric Breisacher (France), Lucas Morten (Sweden) Arno Declercq (Belgium), Mark Sturkenboom (the Netherlands) and Evan Fay (USA). As well as propelling the newest generation of 21st century collectible design, Galerie Philia also works with established practitioners such as Jérôme Pereira (France) and Alain Ellouz (France).