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Scene from Gray Matters
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Gray Matters (2016)

Gray Matters (2016), directed by Marco Orsini, starring Mary McGuckian.

05/27/2016 BR Documentary 1h 16m

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The Eileen Gray Documentary

Synopsis

Gray Matters explores the long, fascinating life and complicated career of architect and designer Eileen Gray, whose uncompromising vision defined and defied the practice of modernism in decoration, design and architecture. Making a reputation with her traditional lacquer work in the first decade of the 20th century, she became a critically acclaimed and sought after designer and decorator in the next before reinventing herself as an architect, a field in which she laboured largely in obscurity. Apart from the accolades that greeted her first building –persistently and perversely credited to her mentor–her pioneering work was done quietly, privately and to her own specifications. But she lived long enough (98) to be re-discovered and acclaimed. Today, with her work commanding extraordinary prices and attention, her legacy, like its creator, remains elusive, contested and compelling.

  • Dejan KarinCinematography
  • Matthew ThompsonCinematography
  • Steve Brooke SmithCinematography
  • Marco OrsiniDirector, Producer, Writer

About the film

Gray Matters is a 2014 documentary film that was written and directed by Marco Orsini. It premiered at the Architecture and Design Film Festival on 15 October 2014 in New York City and received a theatrical release on 28 May 2016. The film explores the life of architect and designer Eileen Gray.

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Gray Matters is a 2014 documentary film that was written and directed by Marco Orsini. It premiered at the Architecture and Design Film Festival on 15 October 2014 in New York City and received a theatrical release on 28 May 2016. The film explores the life of architect and designer Eileen Gray.

Synopsis

The documentary focuses on Eileen Gray, who worked in lacquer before launching a career as a designer, decorator, and later an architect. Her work in the field of architecture was largely overlooked until she was re-discovered.

Reception

The Times gave the film four out of five stars, as they felt it was "a fascinating documentary on the great modernist designer and architect Eileen Gray". The Guardian gave Gray Matters three out of five stars, writing that "what makes this even more compelling is the supporting art-historical input from its numerous interviewees (I developed a particular soft spot for the dulcet-voiced Dr Jennifer Goff of the National Museum of Ireland), who collectively explicate Gray’s eclectic style, a playful, practical minimalism that evolved substantially over the years".

References

External links

Official website

Gray Matters at IMDb

Text from Gray Matters (2014 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray_Matters_(2014_film)

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What is Gray Matters about?

Gray Matters: Gray Matters explores the long, fascinating life and complicated career of architect and designer Eileen Gray, whose uncompromising vision defined and defied the practice of modernism in decoration, design and architecture. Making a reputation with her traditional lacquer work in the first decade of the 20th century,…

Who directed Gray Matters?

Gray Matters was directed by Marco Orsini in 2016.

Who stars in Gray Matters?

The cast of Gray Matters includes Mary McGuckian.

How long is Gray Matters?

Gray Matters runs for 76 minutes, or 1h16.

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Page updated on 09/15/2026.

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Scene from Gray Matters