The Centro del Carmen museum in Valencia will display until 30 March a retrospective spanning the trajectory of Valencian-born designer José Martínez-Medina (1919-2006). The exhibition entitled “Martínez-Medina, diseñando una vida”, commissioned by professor Manuel Martínez Torán from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, brings together pieces created by the Valencian designer in the 50s all the way through to the 90s, including both interior design and furniture pieces, some of which have been recently reissued.
The exhibition will also show work by other renowned designers who influenced pieces by José Martínez-Medina, such as Gustavo Pulitzer, Marco Zanuso, Osvaldo Borsani and Javier Carvajal. One of the more interesting aspects of Martínez-Medina’s work was his partnership with not only designers, including José Juan Belda, but also famous artists such as Anzo. These collaborations evolved to comprise contemporary artists such as Joaquín Michavila, Andreu Alfaro, Manolo Valdés, Manuel Hernández Mompó and José María Iturralde.
Spanning the entire trajectory of Martínez-Medina, the exhibition starts from his early beginnings at his father’s workshop, followed by his additional training at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Carlos in Valencia, the work he developed together with his brothers until the early 80s, ship interior design (during the 50s and 80s) and finally to his shop which was opened in 1961 in the heart of the city of Valencia.
“Diseñando una vida” also brings together those exhibitions which he was involved in until 1966, together with leading figures in contemporary art and furniture design which included experiments with new materials and processes. José Martínez-Medina belonged to the first generation of qualified interior designers (1971) and was awarded the prestigious design prize, the ‘Premio Valencia Innovación de Diseño’, in 1991.
Read more about the Centro del Carmen and more museums in Valencia.
