Thursday, December 11, 2008

Eames, the Eames, and Herman Miller

We recently had the privilege of hanging out with Eames Demetrious, grandson of legendary designers Charles and Ray Eames. For those who don’t know, The Eames’s changed the world through their designs. It’s almost guaranteed that everyone in the modern world has encountered an Eames design at some point in his or her life.

Eames Demetrious, head of Eames Office and an artist in his own right, was stopping through Jakarta in conjunction with the launch of the new book 100 Quotes by Charles Eames and an exhibit of his grandfather’s photographs. Herman Miller, producer of the Eames furniture, organized the exhibition at O House Gallery. We were very excited to see the selection of photographs in person, and be able to talk with Eames about his personal connection with them. One image that we particularly liked was a self-portrait of Charles and Ray’s reflection in the window of their case study house.

Eames ended his visit with a lecture at Aksara bookstore in Kemang. A small but dedicated crowd turned out to meet him and learn first hand about the history behind the family and business. He told great stories about visiting his grandparent’s house as a child, his first camera (given to him by Charles), and Charles’s friendship with designer, Eero Saarinen. Even though Eames was there as an ambassador of the Eames Office and Herman Miller, we had a chance to speak with him privately about his own work as an artist and film maker. You can check out more about his various projects here and his parallel universe here.

Eames speaking at the exhibition opening

Our favorite quote from Charles Eames

Herman Miller asked us to show our chair in the exhibition

Self portrait of Charles and Ray

At Aksara

Indoneisan Architect, Han Awal

Eames signing a photo of Han Awal's son with the House of Cards

Star-struck!




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