An exhibition of work by designers including Marcel Wanders, Ettore Sottsass, David Adjaye and Marc Newson is on show at the NRW-Forum Kultur und Wirtschaft in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Called U.F.O: Blurring the boundaries between art and design, the exhibition explores the territory between design and art.

Top image: Above: Richard Prince, Nurse Hat Chair, 2008
Polyurethan und Edelstahl
99,1 x 142,2 x 101,6 cm
Edition von 7
Courtesy Gagosian Gallery, New York

Above: Joseph Kosuth, One and Three Chairs, 1965
Courtesy Sammlung Paul Maenz, Berlin
(c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Here's a selection of pieces on show, with captions provided by the gallery.

Above: Marcel Wanders, Bella Brigitta, 2007
Polyester, handbemalt
176 x 150 x 150 cm, Unikat
Courtesy Marcel Wanders Studio, Amsterdam

The exhibition continues until 5 July.

Above: Richard Artschwager, Chair, 1965 - 2000
Acryl, Fotografie auf Papier und Holz
102,9 x 52,1 x 50,8 cm
Edition von 6
Courtesy Monika Sprüth Philomene Magers, Berlin/London
(c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Above: Konstantin Grcic, Missing Object, 2004
Struktur von 9 Elementen aus geöltem Eichenholz
40 x 40 x 20 cm
Edition von 30
Courtesy Konstantin Grcic

Here's some more information from NRW-Forum Kultur und Wirtschaft:

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U.F.O.: Blurring the boundaries between art and design

Where does design end and art begin? Charles Eames, the most influential designer of the mid-twentieth century, said that ‘design is an expression of purpose. It may (if it is good enough) later be judged as art.’

Contemporary young designers see the matter more pragmatically. According to the Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, ‘there is no longer a clear border between product design and art.’ The most recent answer to this question is inherent in the new phrase ‘design-art’.

Above: David Adjaye, Monoforms, Type IV - Galilee, 2007
Massiv amerikanisches Walnussholz
60 x 110 x 45 cm
Edition von 10
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London

Artists like Franz West and others investigate the changing functions of sculpture and in so doing dissolve the borders between art and design, between ‘free’ and ‘applied’ creation, by allowing hybrids from other areas to develop.

Above: David Adjaye, Monoforms, Type II - Petra, 2007
Massiv amerikanisches Walnussholz
40 x 40 x 40 cm je Element, 4 Elemente
Edition von 10
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London

In the field of design, on the other hand, designers like Ron Arad or Marc Newson are increasingly discovering the sculptural qualities of design.

Above: David Adjaye, Monoforms, Type III - Luxor, 2007
Massiv amerikanisches Walnussholz
40 x 50 x 75 cm je Element, 4 Elemente
Edition von 10
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London

They are distancing themselves from a conditionality of design - namely its function and the inherent possibility of reproducing something any number of times - and are creating unique items or small editions.

Above: Ron Arad, No void, 2006
Hochglanzpoliertes und gewobenes Aluminium
133 x 216 x 20 cm
Courtesy Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln

The borders between ‘fine’ and ‘decorative’ art is becoming more blurred.

Above: Ron Arad, Box in Four Movements, 1994
Polierter Edelstahl und patinierter Stahl
42 x 42 x 42 cm (geschlossen)
Edition von 20
Courtesy Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln
Foto: Alexander Ring

The artists/designers featuring in this exhibition include David Adjaye – Ron Arad – John Armleder – Richard Artschwager – Ronan + Erwan Bouroullec  – Hussein Chalayan – Frédéric Dedelley – Martino Gamper – Liam Gillick – Rodney Graham – Johanna Grawunder – Konstantin Grcic – Zaha Hadid – Studio Job – Donald Judd – Mona Hatoum – Arik Levy – Ross Lovegrove – Marc Newson – Jorge Pardo – Tom Price – Richard Prince – Rolf Sachs – Tejo Remy – Ettore Sottsass – Haim Steinbach – Kram/Weisshaar – Marcel Wanders – Franz West – Andrea Zittel.

Above: Ron Arad, Box in Four Movements, 1994
Polierter Edelstahl und patinierter Stahl
42 x 42 x 42 cm (geschlossen)
Edition von 20
Courtesy Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln
Foto: Alexander Ring

Supported by the Primeminister of Northrhine-Westfalia, sponsered by Raumkonzepte Klode and ERCO, Mediapartners are design magazine FRAME and design platform Stylepark.

Above: Ron Arad, Bodyguards, 2008
200 x 94 x 110 cm
Courtesy The Gallery Mourmans, Lanaken

Above: John Armleder, Old Rose Garden, FS, 2008
Installation, Acryl auf Leinwand und Rietveld Stuhl
Leinwand jeweils Ø 149,5 cm, Stuhl: 71 x 73,5 x 88 cm
Courtesy Galerie Andrea Caratsch, Zürich

Above: Ronan und Erwan Bouroullec, Rocs, 2007
Prototyp, Karton und Leinen
150 x 310 x 50 cm
Courtesy Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein
Foto: Hans-Jörg Walter

Above: Fernando und Humberto Campana, Banquete Chair, 2002
Edelstahl, Stofftiere
85 x 100 x 140 cm
Edition von 150
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London
(c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Above: Fernando und Humberto Campana, Sushi IV, 2003
Edelstahl, Filz, Teppich und Gummi
90 x 100 x 100 cm
Edition von 35
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London
(c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Above: Fernando und Humberto Campana, Cartoon Chair: Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, 2007
Edelstahl, Stofftiere
85 x 100 x 140 cm
Courtesy Albion Gallery, London
(c) VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2009

Above: Hussein Chalayan, Afterwords, Autumn/Winter 2000
Installation aus zwei Lehnstühlen, zwei Stühlen, vier Kleidern, einem Tisch/Kleid, einem Holzrahmen, einer Holzschale, drei hölzernen Büchern und einer Vase
Maße variabel
Collection Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Mudam Luxembourg

Above: Frédéric Dedelley, More Deeply Superficial Objects, 2007/2008
Polystyrol, Harz-Kaltglasur
Unterschiedliche Formate, nummerierte Edition
Courtesy Galerie Franziska Kessler, Zürich
Foto: Daniel Kessler

Above: Martino Gamper, A 100 Chairs in 100 Days, 2006/2007
Olympia 2 August 2006
Courtesy Nilufar Gallery, Milano und Martino Gamper, London
Foto: Åbäke

Above: Martino Gamper, A 100 Chairs in 100 Days, 2006/2007
Barbapapa in Vienna 7 August 2006
Courtesy Nilufar Gallery, Milano und Martino Gamper, London
Foto: Åbäke

Above: Martino Gamper, A 100 Chairs in 100 Days, 2006/2007
Arnoldone 13 September 2007
Courtesy Nilufar Gallery, Milano und Martino Gamper, London
Foto: Åbäke

Above: Martino Gamper, A 100 Chairs in 100 Days, 2006/2007
Lap-dog 27 July 2006
Courtesy Nilufar Gallery, Milano und Martino Gamper, London
Foto: Åbäke

Above: Liam Gillick, Multiplied Discussion Structure (Bench), 2007
Pulverbeschichtetes Aluminiumrohr, drei Farbversionen
41 x 245 x 61 cm
Edition von 100
Courtesy Edition Schellmann Furniture, München

Above: Rodney Graham, Standard Edition, 1988
Rostfreier Stahl, Messing, Bücher
30,7 x 261 x 15 cm
Courtesy Sammlung Jörg Johnen, Berlin

Above: Johanna Grawunder, Splits, 2007
Schwarzer Stahl / polierter Edelstahl, LEDs
Farben: Hellgrün, Smaragdgrün, Türkis, Blau, Lila, Pink, Orange, Gelb
50 x 200 x 40 cm
Edition von 6
Courtesy Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln

Above: Zaha Hadid, Iceberg, 2003
MDF lackiert
208 x 268 x 200 cm
Edition von 6
Courtesy Sammlung Anke Bornemann / Harald Seick, Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln

Above: Mona Hatoum, Paravent, 2008
Stahl
211 x 302 x 5 cm
Edition von 3
Courtesy The Sander Collection

Above: Studio Job, Homework, Tower, 2007
Bronzeguss, Sockel aus Wenge
113 x 51,5 x 51,5 cm
Edition von 5
Sammlung Groninger Museum, Groningen, Foto: R. Kot, Brüssel

Above: Donald Judd, Wintergarden Bench, 1980
91,4 x 172,7 x 87,6 cm
Pinie
Edition von 17
Courtesy JGM.Galerie, Paris

Above: Kram/Weisshaar, Breeding Table, 2003 - ongoing
Baustahl, lasergeschnitten und gebogen, Chrom verspiegelte Glasfläche
80 x 160 x 74 cm
Courtesy KRAM/WEISSHAAR AB, Stockholm/München

Above: Arik Levy, Rock mirror, 2005 / 2006
Polierter Edelstahl
87 x 102 x 9 cm
Courtesy Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln

Above: Ross Lovegrove, Liquid Megabioform Table, 2007
Poliertes Aluminium
72 x 290,8 x 162,5 cm
Edition von 6
Courtesy Ross Lovegrove, Lovegrove Studio, London

Above: Marc Newson, Lockheed Lounge, 1985 / 1986
Fiberglas, Aluminiumblech
Courtesy Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein,
(c) Marc Newson, Foto: Thomas Dix

Above: Marc Newson, Diode Lamp (large - blue), 2006
220 x 74,3 x 24,1 cm
Glass, Aluminium, Carbon fiber
Edition von 10
Courtesy Gagosian Gallery, New York, (c) Marc Newson

Above: Marc Newson, Random Pak Twin, 2006
Nickel
88 x 140 x 60 cm
Edition von 10
Courtesy Gagosian Gallery, New York, (c) Marc Newson

Above: Jorge Pardo, Untitled, 2008
MDF, Acryl, Polypropylen
162 x 290 cm
Courtesy Galerie Gisela Capitain, Köln

Above: Tom Price, Meltdown Chair: PP Tube # 1, 2008
Polypropylen Röhren
100 x 180 x 140 cm
Courtesy Tom Price, Foto: Christoph Bolten

Above: Tejo Remy, Chest of Drawers / You Can't Lay Down Your Memory, 1991
Gebrauchte Schubladen, Ahornholz, Jute-Spanngurte
110 x 120 x 70 cm
Courtesy Tejo Remy und Droog Design, Amsterdam

Above: Rolf Sachs, one on top of another, 2008
Stuhl A: Urethangussharz
Stuhl B: Silicon/Gummi-Guss
81 x 41 x 42 cm je Stuhl
Edition von 7
Courtesy Rolf Sachs und Designer's Gallery/Gabrielle Ammann, Köln,
Foto: Byron Slater

Above: Ettore Sottsass, Altar: For the Sacrifice of My Solitude (Before It is Desecrated by the Deceit of Politics), 1969
Keramik
Courtesy The Gallery Mourmans, Lanaken

Above: Haim Steinbach, Untitled, (Daybed Coffin), 1989
Holz, Mies van der Rohe Liege "Barcelona"
176,2 x 257,8 x 208,6 cm
Collection Fond régional d'art contemporain Bretagne, Foto Richard Dumas

Above: Franz West, Sitzskulptur, 2004
Aluminium, Lack
54 x 136 x 99 cm
Courtesy the artist und Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich, Foto: Stefan Altenburger Photography, Zürich

Above: Franz West, Kodustuhl, 1999
Eisen, Holz, Schaumstoff, Leinen, Baumwolle
88 x 46 x 54 cm
Courtesy the artist und Galerie Eva Presenhuber, Zürich, Foto: Stefan Altenburger Photography, Zürich

Above: Andrea Zittel
A-Z Clocks, 1994
Wandinstallation mit 5 Uhren
5-teilig, je 35,5  x 35,5 x 8,6 cm
Prototype A-Z Dishless Dining Table, 1993
Holz, Metall, Farbe
Tisch 73,3 x 127,1 x 103,7 cm
Courtesy Sammlung Goetz, Foto: Wilfried Petzi, München

Above: Beziehungsgeflecht und Ausstellungsorganisation »UFO«
(c) NRW-Forum Düsseldorf