The New York School of Interior Design honors Jack Lenor Larsen and Thomas Woltz

NYSID Spring Benefit at The Metropolitan Club

Photos courtesy Photography by Annie Watt ©

Jack Larsen arrived in New York in 1951 to open his first design studio. This was at the beginning of the modern movement, and Larsen immediately understood that less is more, as the nation was influenced by the post war decade. Larsen became instrumental in revealing how textile design can be used to reinvigorate the modern architecture of that time. Over the years, he proved to be much more complexed as a designer, and is still known as the quintessential modernist, who was lured by the past, but admired many styles – especially tribal design. His friends and critics would agree that he is a major force in the world of design, a tireless traveller, successful entrepreneur, a passionate collector of other talents, and a friend to other artists.

During his acceptance speech, Jack Lenor Larsen also pointed out that when he began his career, he was lucky enough to have started as someone who “did things that he did not know how to do yet”. And as a society, we should appreciate the beautiful, and natural things surrounding our every day lives, especially living in a world when just about everything is mass produced. He encouraged his friends and colleagues that were gathered together, to celebrate their individualities. He quoted his long-time friend Carl Sandberg who once told him while he was in college to “let us be different from other people, if being different comes easy and natural.”