The event celebrates the best there is in international contemporary craftsmanship, curated by the Michelangelo Foundation. This year's theme is The Journey of Life, with Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini as co-artistic directors. Returning to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, the event will be hosted by the Giorgio Cini Foundation from 1 to 30 September.
The Walt Chair is a unique piece of designer furniture, one in which the artisanal excellence of De Castelli and the refined style of Giampiero Bodino come together, deeply transforming the meaning of the chair from a functional object into an object of affection, sending an undeniable message of inclusivity, closeness and connection.
With many allusive names (vis à vis, courting bench, tête à tête, chaperone chair, gossip chair, le confident, etc.) this neoclassical piece of furniture was once widespread in England and France. It alludes to polite society, designed specifically to allow for conversation while maintaining a respectable distance: the back/armrest creates an ‘S’, which divides the two mirrored seats and makes conversation possible while avoiding physical contact.
Bodino's chair for De Castelli is a sophisticated reference to this object, though it completely overturns the original logic of its use. Instead of separating, it unites: the chair is composed of two single identical elements defined by soft, symmetrical curves, designed to nestle perfectly and create a sinuous and welcoming composition which invites people to engage in an empathetic relationship.
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