Gluon Swivel Chairs by Marc Newson for Moroso, 1993, Set of 2

Born in Sydney in 1963, Marc Newson spent much of his childhood travelling in Europe and Asia with his mother, before returning home to study jewelry and sculpture at the Sydney College of the Arts. Prior to graduating in 1984, he had already turned his skills toward furniture, and in 1986, was awarded a grant from the Australian Crafts Council to stage his first exhibition, which featured the now iconic Lockheed Lounge.

Over the years, Newson has lived and worked in Tokyo, Paris, and London, where his studio is now based. Working across a wide range of disciplines, he has designed everything from chairs and household objects to bicycles, concepts cars, and airplane interiors. Some of his most famous designs include the Orgone Chair, the Embryo Chair, and the Gluon Chair. He has produced limited editions for Galerie Kreo and Gagosian Gallery, and his vintage work continues to break auction records around the world.

Udine, Italy-based Moroso was founded as a small-scale, artisanal upholstery company in 1952 by Agostino Moroso, who served as director until the 1990s. At that time, Agostino’s children, Roberto and Patrizia Moroso took over and began to transform the traditional, regionally-focused family business into the innovative, internationally renowned furniture manufacturer it is today. In the role of Creative Director, Patrizia Moroso in particular has not only reinvented her company’s mission but also has had a lasting influence on 21^st-century design discourse through her frequent, high profile collaborations with some of the world’s most talented designers. In 1988, while still working under her father, she invited Israeli-British designer Ron Arad to produce his now-iconic Big Easy Chair, which helped to launch his career and set Moroso on a path to become one of the biggest players in contemporary design.

Moroso defines its approach to design as a laboratory for experimentation that underscores the value of communication, differentiation, and diversity. The values embraced by the brand are visible in the daringness of their lines of sofas, chairs, tables, accessories, and more. Highlights from the Moroso collection include Australian designer Marc Newson’s Gluon series (1993), Spanish artist Javier Mariscal’s Los Muebles Amorosos series (1995), British designer Tom Dixon’s Serpentine Sofas (2003), British designer Ross Lovegrove’s Supernatural Chairs, Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka’s Bouquet Chairs (2008), Japanese studio Nendo’s Kub Tables (2009), as well more recent additions, such as Arad’s unconventional Glider Sofa (2015) and architect David Adjaye’s Art Deco-influenced Double Zero Chair (2015).  Moroso’s ongoing relationship with Spanish architect-designer Patricia Urquiola has generated a number of highly successful pieces, like the Fjord (2002), Bloomy (2004), Antibodi (2006), Tropicalia (2008), and Fishbone (2012) series. In recent years, Moroso has contributed to a global awareness of African design and craft through the M’Afrique project and collection launched in 2009 in collaboration with Urquiola, Dutch designer , and other design greats.

In addition to its domestic furniture and accessories output, over the years, the brand has expanded into the hospitality, education, healthcare, and corporate sectors. Drawing on the worlds of industrial design, contemporary art, and fashion, Moroso has also created temporary installations for Venice Biennale (2013), Art Basel Miami Beach (2010), and Palais de Tokyo (2006).