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or a recent 1-day event on September 13th, at 110 Inca, Chiara Ferrari (a contributor to View Mallorca) curated an ‘itinerary of chairs,’ an exhibition featuring a selection of chairs by contemporary architects, artists and designers who live and work on the island. While it can be said that there are enough chairs in the world to last a lifetime, as an object and as a functional, utilitarian piece, chairs remain a subject of exploration and curiosity among makers and beloved by users, observers, and those passionate about design history. From material to form to size, there is seemingly an endless possibility of what a chair can be. Ferrari, the curator of the show, explains: "I choose ’chair' as a topic for the exhibition because it's the most commonly known design object. But also because through its variations - benches, stools - it invites people to interact with the work. I can think of many paradises relating to design objects, as the word itself suggest freedom of expression. This first edition welcomed a variety of interpretations around this topic coming from different approaches and design backgrounds."
One of the first pieces visitors were met with, was an impressive sculptural blue metal chair by 2 Monos studio. ‘Swing Chair' is a study of geometry and a playful interpretation of a chair designed for two people who should be ready to rock back and forth thanks to its unlikely circular support. Nicoletta Mantoan & Alexander Dumon explain that the chair “offers new ways of relating to these objects and the emotions they arouse in us, blurring disciplines and expressing itself through a fusion of art and design.” If 'Swing Chair' requires a connection between two people in order for it to be properly functioning, Alex Maestre’s armchair ‘Nus’ and set of three stools titled ‘Dessac’, are about making a connection between the user and nature, and particularly the Mallorcan landscape. The chair, handcrafted in local pine, is covered in soft, natural sheep’s wool and the stools, which have a mesh and metal base, use sheep’s wool to create the shape and structure as well. Users are enveloped in the wool which “connects us with the ecosystem and the earth, creating an emotional link between the furniture and the territory,” as the designer says.
