Photography by Brent Murray
I met Adam in a showing of his new table collections with the restauranteur, Thomas Keller — this was the launch of a line for Christofle. What I find compelling about the spirit of Adam, what he does, is the breadth of his design thinking, exuberant and refined. Gregarious, enthusiastic, open and friendly, I’ve remained in contact. His restaurants celebrate the spirit of dining, the enthusiasm of sensual experience. And that’s where he came from — a restauranteur.
But what I wonder about is the idea of one designer exploring the diversity of expression. To be, as it might be described, multi-disciplinary. And how well can one do that?
When I’d connected with Philippe Starck, at TED 2007, I’d had the same line of query for him. And what he offered in his retort, was the same line. “You do what you do.”
And when I say, the same line. I mean that. And that is, in a way, about what it is. A line.
What I’m referring to is the concept of a line, that acts as a kind of demarcation. A mark. Norman Foster has a kind of line. Frank Gehry has a certain gesture. Starck has a characteristic phrasing of form; and finally, Adam Tihany has a line.
Sinuous, graceful, lean, spare. Quiet. Nearly spiritual. And I do have that impression about him, the man. That there is a kind of spiritual character the underlies the work.
And I find myself looking for that — what spirit lies beneath the grace of the move. The concept of the sinuous gesture, the flowing form, what smooth polish mirrors the world of the other side? What reflection, refracts the scene?
And that is what I’m exploring. What lies beneath, what drives. What spark, found neath the creative fires. And there is something.
Curiosity and invention. What I mean about that is that inventive mind is one that is incessantly curious. And I believe, that in Adam’s explorations in design around the world, his international background, the diversity of his experience, there’s an immanent curiosity and design discipline that explores yet another spin on the line.
I’m looking for lines. And what lies beneath that alignment.
Tim Girvin | NYC
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