Sebastian Errazuriz at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Sebastian Errazuriz: A Visionary Disrupting Design Norms

The Philadelphia Museum of Art presents “Sebastian Errazuriz: Double Take”, a mid-career survey celebrating one of the most rousing voices in contemporary design. Running from November 22, 2025, through August 16, 2026, in the Alter Gallery, this exhibition marks a moment for the artist and the museum’s evolving relationship with multidisciplinary creators.

Sebastian Errazuriz, born in 1977 in Chile, has built a global reputation by challenging conventions across art, design, craft, and technology. Known for turning furniture into sculpture and turning function into commentary, Errazuriz invites us to consider the deeper meaning of objects we interact with daily. His creative ethos embraces wit, irreverence, and social critique—altering the scope of what it means to be a designer in the 21st century.

Having exhibited at prestigious venues like Kiasma in Helsinki, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, and Art Basel Miami Beach, Errazuriz brings a legacy of international acclaim to this Philadelphia debut. In tandem with the exhibit, he will receive the 39th Collab Design Excellence Award—an honor bestowed by the museum’s design-focused affinity group. Past recipients include iconic figures such as Zaha Hadid, George Nakashima, and Patricia Urquiola, placing Errazuriz firmly within the pantheon of game-changing design thinkers.

“Sebastian Errazuriz: Double Take” Explores AI, Antiquity, and Kinetic Design

“Double Take” immerses visitors in over two decades of Sebastian Errazuriz’s audacious creativity, weaving together themes of heritage, transformation, and technology. Signature pieces in the show include his celebrated kinetic cabinets—visually striking works that challenge traditional cabinet design by incorporating rotating, folding, and expanding elements. In these creations, Errazuriz tears down the notion that furniture must be static or predictable, inviting users to engage with their objects in unexpectedly dynamic ways.

Another compelling facet of the show is Errazuriz’s appropriation and reinterpretation of Greco-Roman antiquities. Using digital manipulation, he transforms museum relics into contemporary furniture, mirrors, and design elements that bridge the ancient and the future. These pieces provoke questions about preservation, authorship, and the cultural narratives embedded in material history.

The exhibition culminates with a monumental installation confronting the rise of artificial intelligence. A wall of AI-generated drawings forms the foundation for a neon installation that reads “IMAGINE,” intermittently highlighting “AGI”—a reference to Artificial General Intelligence. This piece anchors Errazuriz’s latest inquiry, born from his recently self-published book IMAGINE Artificial General Intelligence (2025), in which he explores how emerging technologies may disrupt the creative industries. As the letters pulse in shifting sequences, visitors are prompted to question the future of artistic authorship in an age of machine cognition.

Sebastian Errazuriz: A Design Award Honoree with a Fearless Outlook

With “Double Take”, Sebastian Errazuriz delivers a retrospective and issues a challenge. He asks us to reconsider what design can be when stripped of expectations and infused with curiosity, philosophy, and critique. His work stands at the crossroads of conceptual art and industrial design, defying singular categorization while remaining deeply human in its expression.

“Double Take” offers a powerful meditation on the role of creativity in an era marked by technological and cultural transformation. Through his practice, Errazuriz continues to prove that design is not merely about aesthetics or function—but about asking questions that matter.

^{(top left) The Represented Self, 2020,  designed by Sebastian Errazuriz.
(top right) The Represented Self (detai), 2020,  designed by Sebastian Errazuriz.
(bottom) Narcissus Bowl, 2022,  designed by Sebastian Errazuriz.}