PL pedestal table
Table
1983 (designed), 1994 (manufactured)
1983 (designed), 1994 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Martin Szekely was one of the younger designers who benefited from the support of VIA (Valorisation de l'innovation dans l'Ameublement), a body founded in 1979 by the French Ministère de l'Industrie to promote new design at home and abroad. The PL table is typical of French furniture of the period, which dissolved traditional forms (in this instance, the kind of small table known as a gueridon) into an interplay of geometrical planes. The manufacturer of the table was Neotu, a gallery founded in 1985, dedicated to issuing editions of furniture and design objects, with premises in Paris and New York. One of the first exhibitions at Neotu was a solo show of work by Martin Szekely.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
|
| Materials and techniques | Enamelled steel, cut and welded |
| Brief description | PL pedestal table, designed by Martin Szekely, 1983, manufactured by Neotu, Paris, 1994. |
| Physical description | Pedestal table with circular top, composed of cut steel sheet and steel tube. The tubular steel pedestal sits on a semicircular base and is joined by three small horizontal rods at the top to the edge of a vertical, blade-like, triangular-shaped leg that is welded to the underside of the table top on its short side and rests on its point. The base is raised on three small round feet. The table is enamelled grey. The minimalism of the design suggests lightness but because of its material the table is very heavy. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Object history | This table is a version of an 18th century French furniture table, the queridon. Since the 18th century this term has described a low, circular table with three legs or tripod base while in the 20th century it has come to be used for what is called, in English, an occational table. Sleek, hi-tech in feel, although slightly let down by the quality of the welding, its minimalism is very much of its period. The table is eminently functional and has continued in small series of batch production since its original design in 1985. |
| Production | Attribution note: small batch production since 1985 |
| Summary | Martin Szekely was one of the younger designers who benefited from the support of VIA (Valorisation de l'innovation dans l'Ameublement), a body founded in 1979 by the French Ministère de l'Industrie to promote new design at home and abroad. The PL table is typical of French furniture of the period, which dissolved traditional forms (in this instance, the kind of small table known as a gueridon) into an interplay of geometrical planes. The manufacturer of the table was Neotu, a gallery founded in 1985, dedicated to issuing editions of furniture and design objects, with premises in Paris and New York. One of the first exhibitions at Neotu was a solo show of work by Martin Szekely. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.3-1994 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 17, 2006 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
