Tejo Remy

Gallery Andrea Leenarts, Cologne
Acquired from the above by the present owner, 2000

Suzanne Tise-Isoré, ed., Design For Living: Furniture and Lighting 1950-2000: The Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, Paris, 2000, p. 210
Mienke Simon Thomas, Dutch Design: A History, London, 2008, p. 226

Overall very good condition. Scattered scuff marks throughout the surface. Fronts of the drawers with wear to the paint, wear to the wood veneer and chips to the edges, which are intentional and part of the design. A small break on the front part of the yellow drawer as visible in the catalogue. Visible horizontal hairline on the wooden front of one of the drawers, approximately 8 cm in length.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"It's easier to remember where everything is stored, if the boxes are different".

In the 1990s, the designer Tejo Remy created a number of objects that have today become icons of the design. Among others - a chest of drawers made from found boxes titled ‘You can’t lay down your memory‘. This piece was created at the peak of the popularity of the secondary use of objects and materials. It was exhibited in 1993 at the Milan Furniture Salon when the founders of the Droog Design group, Gijs Bakker and Renny Ramakers, presented a selection of works by Dutch designers. Their minimalist approach to design created a stormy reaction among their critics.

The debut of Droog Design was like a manifesto. After the design of the 1980s, characterised by an abundance of detail, minimalism turned to a new value system that was based on economics and simplicity and the perceived poverty of the means used was elevated to an aesthetic philosophy.

Remy’s ‘You cannot lay down your memory’ is more than the recycling of old boxes. Some details require that the user interact with the constituent parts which in essence make each object a unique exercise in individual customisation.