Superbox prototype (black/grey)

Ettore Sottsass Italian, born Austria
Manufacturer Poltronova Italian
ca. 1969
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Designed by Sottsass for Poltronova, the Superboxes bear some relationship to cabinets like the one by Koloman Moser on view in this gallery. However, Sottsass moved away from strict functionalism to incorporate ideas from art, religion, and contemporary fashion. He intended for the cabinets to stand away from the wall, giving them a separate presence, as if they were ritualistic altars for daily life. The Superboxes are clad on all sides with patterned and colored laminate, reflecting the influence of both Pop art and Minimalism, a prelude to Memphis.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Superbox prototype (black/grey)
  • Artist: Ettore Sottsass (Italian (born Austria), Innsbruck 1917–2007 Milan)
  • Manufacturer: Poltronova
  • Date: ca. 1969
  • Medium: Plywood, particle board, plastic laminate
  • Classification: Miscellaneous
  • Credit Line: Private Collection
  • Rights and Reproduction: Studio Ettore Sottsass Srl
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art