The Djinn chair is a piece of furniture in the

Modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

style, created by French designer

Olivier Mourgue Olivier Mourgue (born 1939) is a French industrial designer best known as the designer of the futuristic Djinn chairs used in the film ''2001: A Space Odyssey (film), 2001: A Space Odyssey''. Life and career Mourgue was born in Paris, France. He ...

in the 1960s. Originally called the "Low fireside chair", it is also commonly referred to as the "''2001'' chair", because of its prominent appearance in the film '' 2001: A Space Odyssey''.

History

The Djinn chair is one element of a series of Djinn furniture designed by noted French designer Olivier Mourgue. In 1964 the first piece of the series, a

chaise longue A chaise longue (; , "long chair") is an upholstered sofa in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs of the sitter. In modern French the term ''chaise longue'' can refer to any long reclining chair such as a deckchair. A ...

, was introduced by ''Airborne'' in Merignac Cedex, France. The rest of the series was released in 1965, and includes the iconic "Low fireside chair", a two-seat

sofa A couch, also known as a sofa, settee, or chesterfield, is a cushioned item of furniture for seating multiple people (although it is not uncommon for a single person to use a couch alone). It is commonly found in the form of a bench with uph ...

, and a foot stool. The set remained in production until 1976. The name "Djinn" refers to an Islamic spirit capable of changing shape. The design's low profile was an attempt to emulate the informal lifestyle of the time. The set was introduced during a time when growing interest in Eastern mysticism was influencing Western decorative arts.

Survivors

The stretch jersey covering used for the Djinn series did not wear well. Worse yet, the polyether foam used in construction of Djinn chairs has a tendency to degrade over time, causing the pieces to become unusable. "Things should have a short life," Mourgue said in 1965, when he was 26. Djinn chairs were sold worldwide, and in Europe they have become valuable designer collectibles. Values in Europe remain varied depending on condition, with professionally restored chairs selling for $1,000 or more, and sofas for more than $1,800. In the United States the chairs remain largely forgotten, and little effort at restoration has occurred. A 1964–1965 green Djinn Chaise Longue is in the permanent collection of the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. It was donated by George Tanier, Inc. in 1966.http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=3358

References

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External links

Djinn chairs at 2001spacesuit.com
Chairs History of furniture Modernism Individual models of furniture