The 'Carlton' room divider, designed by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 and produced by Memphis Milano, stands as a milestone of radical 1980s design. Crafted from wood and finished with high-pressure decorative laminate, the piece reveals a sleek, glossy surface and sharply defined edges. Both the horizontal and vertical planes are enveloped in Sottsass's signature black-and-white 'Bacterio' pattern, offset by a vibrant palette of saturated primary hues—red, blue, green, yellow, and white. The geometric, asymmetric silhouette evokes a subtly anthropomorphic presence, while a chrome plaque on the side, inscribed with the Memphis Milano logo, designer signature and year, confirms the piece’s provenance. Functionally, Carlton offers a variety of open shelves set at expressive angles: the structure works both as a spatial divider and an emphatic sculptural object. The condition is described as excellent; the piece displays minimal, nearly invisible traces of use, remaining very close to its original state.
In this iconic shape, the rebellious spirit of the 1980s softly reverberates: the object tells a story where crossing the boundaries of convention becomes a conscious act of creative freedom. Saturated colors and playful laminate lines hint at design irony, while the asymmetric structure suggests a preference for witty provocation over functional logic. 'Carlton' seems to reflect an era that questioned the function, identity, and meaning of objects, unafraid of ambiguity or tongue-in-cheek attitude.
As a centerpiece, Carlton would anchor a living room, office, or collector’s gallery, and could be partnered with
DIMENSION
Height196 cm
Width40 cm
Length190 cm
Dimension details
Length190 cm
Height196 cm
Width40 cm
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