"Waterloo" Ashtray/Candleholder
Best known for his contemporary furniture and architectural designs, Ali Tayar's "Waterloo" ashtray/candleholder represents his aesthetics and philosophy in a compact form. Tayar believes in custom-crafted objects with an eye toward mass production. His forms are frequently inspired by elements such as the cross vault found in cathedral architecture, the structural innovations of Spanish Art Nouveau architect Antoni Gaudí, and the austere mass-produced metal furniture of Frenchman Jean Prouvé. The "reversible" ashtray/candleholder was produced in a limited number as an experimental prototype for the Waterloo Restaurant in New York. However, the prototype was never put into production. Tayar has received commissions for important furniture and architectural projects, including his "NEA" table for the Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design exhibition held at the Museum of Modern Art in 1995 and furniture designs for ICF, the New York-based manufacturer.
Artwork Details
- Title: "Waterloo" Ashtray/Candleholder
- Designer: M. Ali Tayar (American, born Istanbul, Turkey 1959–2016)
- Manufacturer: Metalteks
- Date: 1997
- Medium: Tumble finished, anodized, cast aluminum
- Dimensions: 1 1/8 × Diam. 3 7/8 in., 0.4 lb. (2.9 × 9.8 cm, 0.2 kg)
- Classification: Metalwork-Aluminum
- Credit Line: Gift of the artist, 1998
- Object Number: 1998.454
- Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Kay WalkingStick
2004
Robert Gober
1994–2001
Fred Wilson
2006
Charles Demuth
1928
Multiple artists/makers
ca. 1930
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.