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Beginning scene from their film "Powers of Ten"
www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/44/dorrian.php |
This August we’re celebrating Charles and Ray Eames. For all
of the Eames lovers like us, you probably know both Charles and Ray passed away
on the same date, August 21st, exactly ten years apart.
In an
article written for Vogue in 1959, Alene Talmey wrote “They are intensely
practical. They work as partners, both designers, both filmmakers, both at ease
in their life.” This unique connection to each other and to the world of design
inspired us to take a closer look at their story.
It all started with a chair. Ray Kaiser, with a background
in abstract expressionism, met Charles Eames at Cranbrook Academy of Art in
Michigan. She was commissioned to create sketches and models of Charles’ chair
design for an upcoming competition. A year later, in 1941, they married and
moved their life to Los Angeles, California.
At the time, the traditional armchair was tired and boring.
Charles and Ray set out to re-design it, leaving behind all upholstery and cushions.
Their one-piece plastic moulding, called “The Shell” hit the market and before
they knew it, their goal of making “affordable, practical, beautiful design
available to the masses” was a reality – Herman Miller began manufacturing
their furnishings.
Most people know Charles and Ray for their home furnishings,
but they dabbled in just about everything. With furniture design came other
industrial matters, like toys. “The Plywood Elephant” for example was strong
enough for kids to play on, but doubled as a sleek sculpture that parents
could appreciate too. Genius! They are also known for outstanding contributions
in film, photography, exhibition, and architecture. It’s safe to say, they saw beauty in everything around them,
and offered ground-breaking progress for the future of modern mid-century design.
Charles once said…
“Any time one or more things are consciously put together in
a way that they can accomplish something better than they could have
accomplished individually, this is an act of design”. He must have been talking about his life with Ray, because together
this duo was dynamic.
See more about the unique story of Charles & Ray Eames
in the documentary “Eames: The Architect and The Painter” – definitely worth
watching!
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Charles and Ray showing their sense of humor!
www.smartfurniture.com/hermanmiller/resources/herman-miller-and-eames.html |
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Charles and Ray in front of their house in the Pacific Palisades, CA
www.eamesfoundation.org |
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The Wire Chair, produced by Herman Miller until 1967
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/eames/furniture.html |
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Herman Miller catalogue showcasing Eames' chair designs
www.mid-century-home.com
The Eames Plywood Elephant...you can buy it here!
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The Eames House (also know as Case Study #8) is located in Pacific Palisades
and is definitely worth a visit
www.flickr.com/photos/bwucinich/with3904355535/#photo_3904355535
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The Eames living room on display during the LACMA "California Design" exhibit
feltandwire.com |
