MY CULTURAL LIFE MICHAEL SODEAU

We ask a tastemaker what they are reading, watching, listening to and downloading Sodeau is a multidisciplinary designer who creates everything from furniture to interiors. He is creative director of London design show Designjunction, and his studio celebrates its 20th anniversary next year (@michaelsodeaustudio; michaelsodeau.com). I’m currently listening to Gogo Penguin ( 2), a band I discovered while watching Later… with Jools Holland. The band consists of a pianist, double bassist and drummer, and the dexterity with which they play is incredible. The song that makes me feel instantly happy is She’s a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones. My wife Lisa and I played it at our wedding ceremony. The books that have influenced me the most are ones on the work of 20th-century artist Bruno Munari. The freedom with which he and other creatives of his generation, such as Enzo Mari and Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni approached design is so interesting. My favourite quote is ‘Less is more’. Famously attributed to architect Mies van der Rohe, it’s actually from Robert Browning’s poem Andrea del Sarto (also known as The Faultless Painter). It epitomises what’s good about design and the modernist edict ‘Form follows function’. The last exhibition I saw was ‘The World of Charles and Ray Eames’ at London’s Barbican art gallery. I was fascinated by their plywood prototypes and chair frames ( 5). I’ve always loved David Hockney’s art. I really like his earlier paintings, particularly A Bigger Splash ( 1; 1967). Hockney has inspired generations with his new form of drawing; he’s rather like David Bowie, who also transformed himself by experimenting with different genres. If I had a free day in London, I’d spend it exploring the city on my bike. I’m a member of the Rapha Cycle Club ( 3). I have two favourite destinations. The first is the Isle of Skye, which has an incredibly beautiful and diverse landscape. The second is Sweden. Many of its cities, such as Stockholm ( Gothenburg and Malmö, offer a rich design history and wonderful food.