Marcel Breuer: Sun and Shadow by Lothaire Hucki

Marcel Breuer’s Sun and Shadow publication was a fantastic book packed full of Breuer’s designs and philosophies. Published in 1955, not only did it offer a comprehensive study on his interior design and architecture, it also focused heavily on his wooden and tubular-steel furniture. If there’s any way you can get your hands on this now out of print book, I would highly recommend it. You will certainly learn a lot and pick up some tips and tricks along the way.

Delving deeper on the web, I came across this fantastic photographic series by French photographer Lothaire Hucki. Captured in 2013 for the Marcel Breuer exhibition that was held on the site of Villa Noailles, the showing consisted of over thirty pieces of furniture and many documents from public and private collections in Europe. Obviously I’m lagging in terms of the event, as it took place over a year ago, but what’s been left behind are these detailed photographs of Breuer’s early furniture designs. Up-close we can see the construction methods and how these icons of modernism were born, I really am in awe.

I’ve seen Marcel’s early pieces up-close at exhibitions and events before, but what’s great is having something to refer back to in photographic format. In my eyes Breuer was a brilliant designer and architect, his work was way ahead of its time and the forms even look fresh today. Although some may class this furniture as just another ‘designer’ object, I see them as subtle pieces of design that now live with us and share our environment. These chairs would be fantastic companions to use and revolve around, you can see more like this on Lothaire’s dedicated webpage here.

villanoailles-hyeres.com
lothaire-hucki.fr

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