Selene Chair
Chair
1968 (designed), 1968 (manufactured)
1968 (designed), 1968 (manufactured)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Selene chair dates from a period of great experimentation with the materials of furniture-making. Designers and manufacturers in the 1960s sought ways to make chairs in single mouldings, so they would be cheaper and quicker to manufacture. They also often aimed to produce chairs that would stack, making them more versatile in use. The design of this chair is an exceptionally successful example of the achievement of both aims.
The glossy surface of the chair looks as if it was achieved by injection-moulding, but in fact the chair is made of compression-moulded fibreglass. The innovative S-shape cross section of the leg gave the sheet material stability. The whole chair could be moulded as one, with only the feet needing to be clipped on.
The glossy surface of the chair looks as if it was achieved by injection-moulding, but in fact the chair is made of compression-moulded fibreglass. The innovative S-shape cross section of the leg gave the sheet material stability. The whole chair could be moulded as one, with only the feet needing to be clipped on.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Selene Chair (manufacturer's title) |
| Materials and techniques | Compression moulded fibreglass |
| Brief description | Selene Chair, designed by Vico Magistretti, manufactured by Artemide, Italy, 1968 |
| Physical description | Single piece moulded fibreglass four-legged chair. The legs of the chair are fluted (S section). |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Historical context | The Selene won a gold medal at the Vienna Salon, 1970, and an Honourable Mention at the Compasso d'Oro (design prize) in Italy in the same year. |
| Summary | The Selene chair dates from a period of great experimentation with the materials of furniture-making. Designers and manufacturers in the 1960s sought ways to make chairs in single mouldings, so they would be cheaper and quicker to manufacture. They also often aimed to produce chairs that would stack, making them more versatile in use. The design of this chair is an exceptionally successful example of the achievement of both aims. The glossy surface of the chair looks as if it was achieved by injection-moulding, but in fact the chair is made of compression-moulded fibreglass. The innovative S-shape cross section of the leg gave the sheet material stability. The whole chair could be moulded as one, with only the feet needing to be clipped on. |
| Bibliographic reference | modern chairs |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.504D-1973 |
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| Record created | February 15, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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