Artist of the day: Artist of the day, September 18: Michael Graves, American architect & product designer

Monday, September 18, 2017

Artist of the day, September 18: Michael Graves, American architect & product designer

Michael Graves (1934 – 2015) was an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, as well as Memphis Group, Graves was known first for his contemporary building designs and some prominent public commissions that became iconic examples of Postmodern architecture, such as the Portland Building and Denver Public Library. His recognition grew through designing domestic products sold by premium Italian housewares maker Alessi, and later low-cost new designs at stores such as Target and J. C. Penney in the United States. He was a representative of New Urbanism and New Classical Architecture and formerly designed postmodern buildings, and was recognized as a major influence in all three movements.

In 1985, Graves designed a stainless steel teakettle featuring a red whistle shaped like a bird for the Italian company Alessi, which became the company's all-time bestselling product.
Cedar Gables House (1998) was commissioned by Target Corp as a model home to showcase his new line of housewares.

Graves designed the scaffolding used for the restoration of the Washington Monument in Washington DC. During that assignment, which Target Corp sponsored, he met a Target executive who appreciated his product design and a relationship was formed. He began designing consumer products for the mass market and Target sold his products through their stores. In 1998, Target commissioned Graves to design a model home to showcase the new line of housewares; Graves went a step further did a complete design of the contemporary house with custom furniture, lighting, fixtures, and other unique items, making it only one of three homes he designed and furnished. By 2009, however, he noted the house "doesn't have a wow factor. That gets old quickly." The partnership went from less than a dozen objects in 1997 to more than 2,000 when the partnership with Target ended in 2012. By 2013, concerned about Target's partnerships with other designers with less-successful outcomes, he explored other relationships to bring products to consumers. When a former Target executive became CEO of J.C. Penney, Graves' products began being sold exclusively through J.C. Penney.

After Graves became paralyzed, his use of a wheelchair turned him into a "reluctant health expert", with an increased awareness of accessible design. He focused his attention on the design of wheelchairs, hospital furnishings, hospitals, and disabled veteran's housing.