Vitra narrates Girard’s professional life

The passion for colors and popular culture never abandoned Alexander Girard’s life. This aspect is clear at the solo exhibition – curated by Joachen Eisenbrand and Sara Wirth – that the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein dedicates to the visionary designer and architect of the XX century.

The German museum acquired Girard’s private collection a few years after his demise in 1993, and it is currently exhibited in an exposition organized by London-based design studio Raw Edges. Pieces, furniture, textures, objects, as well as documents and drawings mostly unpublished, the retrospective gives a complete overview of Girard’s both professional and private life.

During the 50 years of activity starting in 1920, the designer, raised in Florence, took on a multiplicity of different projects, from textile design to Miller’s house interiors, in Columbus, Indiana. Affected by the cosmopolitan culture since he was young and increased during the years, the designer also completed works of reduced formats, such as the famous writing Love.

Alexander Girard, particularly fascinated by popular art – he collected a wide range of materials about it – anticipated the design globalization trend; moreover, he has been one of the first designers to deepen the study of colors, wisely used in his creations. The combination of opposed aspects – between industry and craftsmanship, pop and elite, decoration and minimalism – is another key element that makes the architect a pioneer in this area.