Eileen Gray was one of the greatest Irish architects and furniture designers ever, and also a pioneer of the Modern Movement in architecture. Her most famous work is the house known as E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France. She was also queer.
Early on Gray used luxurious materials like exotic woods, ivory and furs. In the mid-1920s, her pieces became simpler and more industrial. This reflects her growing interest in the work of Le Corbusier and other Modernists, who valued utility and mathematical principles over ornamentation.
Gray’s reputation and legacy is little known to the world outside design and architecture professional which is extremely sad. She was after all known for the Bibendum chair was a take on the Michelin Man with tire-like shapes sitting on a chromed steel frame. The chair’s shape is reminiscent of the voluptuous figures of women in renaissance paintings, while the geometry calls back to the ideals of Werkbund.
One of her other famous pieces was the Pirogue Day Bed which was gondola-shaped and finished in patinated bronze lacquer, and is inspired by Polynesian dugout canoes.
Gray also had a very intriguing personal life In the earlier 1920’s, she was romantically involved intermittently with Romanian architect and writer Jean Badovici who was 15 years her junior. But in fact Gray was bisexual. and mixed in the lesbian circles of the time, being associated with Romaine Brooks, Loie Fuller, and she had a lengthy relationship Marie-Louise Damien .
Now Gray, who died in 196 and who had spent most of her life in France is being celebrated in her home country with a temporary exhibition at The National Museum of Ireland. “Making and Momentum” has a very important agenda is it is part of a well-oiled campaign to raise funds to restore the E-1207 House. This Exhibition in Dublin has work by contemporary artists whose work has been inspired by Gray and will later be sold to help pay for the restoration
Temporary Exhibition (4th - 23rd September) Making and Momentum - In Conversation with Eileen Gray is located at: https://www.museum.ie/ Collins Barracks , Benburb St, Dublin 7 D07 XKV4
P.S. The Museum also has a permanent EILEEEN GRAY EXHIBITION which posthumously realised one of Gray’s last ambitions – to have her work brought back to Ireland.
P.P.S. For more on Gray check out “Gray Matters” a definitive documentary by Marco Orsini which sheds a new light on all aspects of the Eileen Gray phenomenon. It’s streaming at https://graymattersthedoc.com/
