Art Papers Magazine: Knoll Transcripts

Art Papers magazine, an independent not-for-profit publication, recently published an article on a series of interviews in which Knoll designers and executives reflect on the early stages of the company’s formation. The interviews were conducted between 1977 and 1979 by a group of three Knoll affiliates: TED founder Richard Saul Wurman, former Knoll Executive Christian Rae, and longtime design consultant Massimo Vignelli.

 

As the editors note, the accounts are often “Rashoman-esque,” comprising multiple and sometimes conflicting points of view that together afford a glimpse into “moments of classic tragedy, failure, and success.” Notable figures include Harry Bertoia, Gordon Bunschaft, George Nelson, Peter Blake, Herbert Matter, Marcel Breuer, Richard Schultz, Robert Venturi, and Florence Knoll—referred to in the transcripts by her nickname “Shu.”

 

The full article can be downloaded here, courtesy of Art Papers.

All images courtesy of Art Papers Magazine.

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