Design by Artists

Many artists have also forayed into the field of design. In the 1940s and ‘50s, the Cubist Pablo Picasso created ceramic plates, the Surrealist André Masson produced biomorphic vessels, and the Fauvist Henri Matisse designed colorful tapestries inspired by his paper cut-outs. In the 1960s, the American sculptor Donald Judd and the French painter Yves Klein designed signature furniture pieces. While some artists produce one-of-a-kind design objects, others mass-produce merchandise to expand their artistic reach. Keith Haring, Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Roy Lichtenstein, Kara Walker, and many others, have all worked with manufacturers to release more affordable versions of their works.