Chair model "Sing Sing Sing"
Manufactured by XO
France, 1980s
Tubular steel and expanded steel mesh

Measurements
59 x 54 x 89h cm
23,2 x 21,3 x 35h in

Provenance
Private Collection, Tokyo

Literature
1996 Hara Museum of Contemporary Art catalogue for Kuramata's retrospective.
Shiro Kuramata: Essays & Writings by Deyan Sudjic (2013).

About
The "Sing Sing Sing Chair" by Shiro Kuramata, designed in 1985 for XO, France, is an iconic piece that showcases Kuramata's unique design philosophy. Crafted from tubular steel and expanded steel mesh, this chair reflects a minimalist aesthetic with an industrial edge. The open mesh design is reminiscent of prison bars, likely an allusion to the chair's name, which might reference the "Sing Sing" prison in New York, though Kuramata's intent here plays with both structure and transparency, a hallmark of his work. The chair exemplifies his approach to blending Japanese minimalist principles with bold, European postmodernism.

Biography
Shiro Kuramata (1934-1991) was a visionary Japanese designer known for his unconventional and often poetic approach to furniture and interiors. Educated at the Kuwasawa Design School in Tokyo, he became prominent in the 1970s and '80s for his use of industrial materials, such as metal mesh, glass, and acrylic, which he used to create ethereal, minimalist pieces that defied conventional furniture forms. A key figure in the Memphis Group, founded by Ettore Sottsass, Kuramata embraced postmodern design principles, often challenging traditional forms and functions. His designs, such as the Miss Blanche Chair—made of transparent acrylic embedded with artificial roses—and the How High the Moon armchair, remain celebrated for their blend of functionality and surrealism. His works are now part of prestigious collections, including those at the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.