Memphis is referenced in a lot of songs, but this is the first time I've ever seen it lend its name to an art movement.

There's nothing particularly Memphis-y about the design movement, which was started in 1980 by Italian architect Ettore Sottass. The movement got its name because Bob Dylan's "Stuck Inside a Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again" kept playing on the turntable when Sottass was meeting with a group of designer friends.

If you knew about this, you're more aware than I am. I had no idea that it existed until I got an email about it from a local collector. He sent me a few photos of his large personal collection of objects from the Memphis design group:

According to Wikipedia, the Memphis design movement "drew inspiration from such movements as Art Deco and Pop Art including styles such as 1950s kitsch and futuristic themes." It was all about super bright colors and crazy angles.

I'm not alone in having no idea that this existed - according to the local collector who emailed me about it, it was primarily popular in Europe and Asia. If you'd like to see more Memphis group design, there's a Facebook page and Flickr stream devoted to it.