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Ettore Sottsass
Ettore Sottsass (1917-2007) was an Italian architect and designer of the late 20th century. He is best known as the founder of the early 1980s Memphis collective, he also designed iconic electronic products for Olivetti, as well as beautiful glass and ceramics.

He was one of the most influential designers in Italy in the late 1960's, and spent much of his time on the road. He went to India, and was entranced by its religious monuments. He went to America, and was thrilled by its pop culture. This allowed Sottsass to forget the real context of these objects’ production and instead see them as monuments devoid of history but filled with happiness.

The above image is piece of work called Totem. Created by in 1967 using ceramics. It resembles the structure of totem poles, but is colourful instead. This fits into the principle of postmodernism being the abstract version of modernism.

He commented on this piece saying:

' I want to make myself a filling pump where I can fill up forever on 4-star fuel' he said later 'fill up my veins and set them alight.'