Shiro Kuramata | "How High The Moon" Armchair

Home » How High Is The Moon » Shiro Kuramata | "How High The Moon" Armchair

Maybe your like

Skip to main contentThe Met CollectionSearch Art"How High the Moon" Armchair"How High the Moon" ArmchairDesigner Shiro Kuramata JapaneseManufacturer Vitra1986Not on view How High the Moon offers a philosophical meditation on the form of the chair. Kuramata cleverly toys with one of the most iconic forms of Western furniture, but one that is almost unknown in traditional Japanese design. The steel mesh, with no interior frame or support, provides the outline of a chair without any of its traditional structure. While its shape is that of a conventional upholstered armchair, its dematerialized, almost transparent appearance suggests a tension between form and function. This effect is intensified by the reflective quality of the steel mesh. How High the Moon appears almost fragile, calling into question its ability to support the weight of the human body and, by extension, challenging the definition of the chair as functional furniture.
"How High the Moon" Armchair, Shiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991), Nickel-plated steel mesh
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Share

Artwork Details

Object InformationOverviewProvenanceExhibition HistoryReferences
  • Title: "How High the Moon" Armchair
  • Designer: Shiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991)
  • Manufacturer: Vitra (Swiss (est. Germany), Weil am Rhein, 1950)
  • Date: 1986
  • Medium: Nickel-plated steel mesh
  • Dimensions: 28 1/4 × 37 1/2 × 31 7/8 in. (71.8 × 95.3 × 81 cm)
  • Classification: Furniture
  • Credit Line: Gift of Vitra Inc., Basel, Switzerland, 1988
  • Object Number: 1988.186
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Kuramata Design Office
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

More Artwork

More ArtworkRelatedBy Shiro KuramataFrom the same time and placeA slider containing 5 items.Press the down key to skip to the last item.
"Sing, Sing, Sing" ArmchairShiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991)designed 1985
Kyoto TableShiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991)1983
"Flower Vase #3"Shiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991)1989
Spice setShiro Kuramata (Japanese, 1934–1991)1980
Work #9Aiko Miyawaki (Japanese, Tokyo 1929–2014 Yokohama)1968

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

  • The Met Fifth facade
    Design, 1975–2000

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

  • Modern Design in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1890-1990
    Modern Design in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1890–1990
    Free to download
  • Recent Acquisitions: A Selection, 1987–1988
    Free to download

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Tag » How High Is The Moon