http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/26/arts/design/the-memphis-group.html 2014-12-26 00:21:08 ‘The Memphis Group’ A pair of exhibitions is a must for students of 20th-century design. === Postmodernism may mean different things to different people, but certainly one of its most memorable manifestations was that of the Reacting to Modernism’s law that form follows function, Memphis designers embraced a shamelessly hedonistic, anti-rational aesthetic. They used wood-grain-patterned laminates, molded plastics, fiberglass and bright, confectionery colors along with natural materials like wood and marble. They whimsically combined styles, patterns and motifs from earlier times: ancient Egyptian and Greek architecture, Art Deco, Bauhaus and California Funk. With their confectionery colors and eccentric shapes, Memphis works — now stars at auction — are like cartoon versions of furniture. Among nearly three dozen pieces at