Jasper Morrison Biography
Jasper Morrison was born in London in 1959 and received an academic education in the field of design at Kingston Polytechnic, the Royal College of Art and the HdK in Berlin. In 1986 he opened his Office for Design in London, which remains his main office today. Morrison pays particular attention to designing objects that integrate perfectly into the everyday environment. Among his recent projects we find various types of seating such as Zampa, APC and Iso-Lounge, Oplight, Raami tableware and even a mobile phone. Early in his career, Morrison designed objects using pre-existing components, such as his Handlebar Table in 1982, which he sold himself in small quantities. He became known to the general public with the Thinking Man's Chair in 1985, the Plywood Chair in 1988 and the 1144 Handle in 1991, pieces that reduce furniture to a minimum, highlighting only its essential needs. His first exhibition shows took place at the Reuters News Center at Documenta 8 in 1987 and at the Some New Items for the Home exhibition at the Berlin Design Werkstadt in 1988, where he demonstrated his creativity by managing to create a powerful atmosphere with just three walls and a few objects. Aram and SCP in London, Cappellini in Milan and FSB in Brakel were the first producers to implement Morrison's designs. In the following years, he continued to design furniture and products for renowned companies such as Vitra, Flos, Emeco, Magis, Maruni, Muji and Alessi. Some of his most notable examples include the Hal Chair, Rotary Tray, Glo-ball Lighting, Alfi, Air Chair, Cutlery, and the Glass Family. Over the years, he has refined his ability to design objects with a simple and familiar shape, but which at the same time are characterized by an unmistakable identity and freshness. Morrison's approach to design was reflected in the Super Normal exhibition, organized in Japan in 2006 together with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. This exhibition inspired the opening of the Jasper Morrison Shop adjacent to his London studio in 2009, which sells his designs alongside products from around the world. Morrison has published several books in collaboration with the publishing house Lars Müller Publishers, which express his aesthetic and conceptual sensitivity. These include A World Without Words, The Good Life, A Book of Things and Super Normal (with Naoto Fukasawa). He has curated and participated in numerous exhibitions in Japan and throughout Europe, thus consolidating his contribution to the field of design. His talent and influence were recognized with his appointment as a member of the Royal Designers for Industry, the award of the Compasso D'Oro and a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
