Thursday, May 9, 2019

Artist of the day, May 9: Olivier Mourgue, French furniture designer, painter and landscape designer (#688)

Olivier Mourgue (1939) is well-known for his furniture design, but he is also a painter and landscape designer.

Olivier Mourgue studied interior design and furniture design at the 'l'Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs' in Paris graduating in 1960. Additionally, Olivier Mourgue trained from 1958 to 1961 in Finland and also in Sweden where he worked for Maurice Holland, Nordiska Kompaniet in Stockholm.

Olivier Mourgue worked with the French manufacturer 'Airborne International' (located in Montreuil-sous-Bois, France) from 1963. At Airborne, Olivier Mourgue designed his well-known classic Djinn chairs (1965) made famous by '2001: A Space Odyssey' by Stanley Kubrick. Stanley Kubrick created a futuristic rotating Hilton hotel in Space. In it, the Djinn chairs received their lasting moment of fame. Olivier Mourgue named the chairs 'Djinn" which In Muslim legend, a spirit often capable of assuming human or animal form and exercising supernatural influence over people. Stanley Kubrick destroyed all the sets and props of '2001: A Space Odyssey', afraid that they might fall into the hands of lesser directors.

While designing for "Airborne International", Olivier also worked as an interior designer for the "Agence d'Architecture Interieure Gautier-Delaye". in 1966, Olivier Mourgue established his own design studio in Paris where he created furniture for French companies like Renault, Prisunic and Mobilier National. He also created a beautiful table- and floor lamp for Disderot, which featured a stem with flower shaped shades.

Olivier Mourgue's most fabulous yet most unknown complete interior design project was made for Visiona by Bayer AG. From 1968 until 1972 (estimate), Bayer AG hired the most talented designers to create an entire futuristic display on board of a ship in Cologne, Germany. In 1971, Bayer AG hired Olivier Mourgue for the complete interior installation of Visiona. It was a Utopia where man and nature lived side by side in peace. It was one of the most memorable interior installations that were ever created.

In 1976, Olivier Mourgue closed his studio in moved to Bretagne, France where he became a professor at the School of Fine Arts in Brest.

Most of the works by Olivier Mourgue can be found in museum collections. Unfortunately, the main manufacturer 'Airborne International" that used to produce his design, is no longer in business. The 'Bouloum' chair which he designed in 1969 for 'Airborne International' is now in production again through Arconas of Canada.

© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by Olivier Mourgue. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only.






Djinn chair.   Mr Olivier Mourgue

2001- A Space Odyssey set (1968)

Le lobby du Hilton de l'espace meublé des assises Djinn

Djinn chair, 1965

2.1 Djinn Chair & Ottoman

Djinn chair

Djinn chair

Yellow Djinn Chairs

Ottoman Djinn rouge

Banquette  "Djinn" rouge

Djinn settee, 1965

Djinn chair et ottoman

Red Djinn

 Airborne red Djinn lounger 1960s

Airborne red Djinn lounger 1960s

Airborne red Djinn lounger 1960s


Bouloum lounge chair by Arconas

Bouloum lounge chair by Arconas

Bouloum lounge chairs by Arconas

Bouloum lounge chair by Arconas

Bouloum lounge chairs by Arconas

Bouloum chair, 1968

Bouloum chairs, 1968


"Cubic" Chairs for Airborne International, 1968

"Cubic" Chairs for Airborne International

Joker Easy Chair

Joker Easy Chair

Joker Easy Chair



Joker Coffee Table


Fauteuil Montréal, 1967

Fauteuils Montréal, 1967

Lampe Fleur, 1968

Lampe Fleurs, 1968

Lampe Fleur, 1968

Lampe Fleurs, 1968

fauteuil Tric-trac

Sacco, 1968

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