Wright Auction

This one-of-a-kind work is one of Marc Newson’s earliest furniture designs and likely his first chair. Made of steel and aluminum, the present lot is an exploration in form and geometric shape. The legs are two inverted Vs that become triangles when set upon the ground, their points softened slightly by the circular elements that make the armrests. The seat is a simple rectangle and the back a cylinder. Overall the chair is devised of a balanced and functional set of interconnected lines and shapes.

Designed in 1983 while Newson was attending Sydney College of Art for jewelry and sculpture, this chair was first exhibited two years later in a group show at the Contemporary Jewellery Gallery of Sydney. That same year Newson would design his Lockheed lounge establishing his name in the world of design.

The harsh and sharp lines found here contrasts with the soft-edged biomorphic designs for which Newson is now most well known. Nevertheless, this early work reveals the experimentation and ingenuity that makes Newson one of the most influential industrial designers of his generation.