The Bocca sofa by Gufram and the Up chair by Gaetano Pesce turn 50
Two iconic pieces in the history of international design turn 50 in 2019. In 1969, the Up chair designed by Gaetano Pesce for C&B, today’s B&B Italia, was produced for the first time. Representing the condition of women, a theme still topical and discussed, this renowned object was the first industrial product with a political meaning in the history of Italian design.
Its shape recalled a female body chained to a spherical footrest. Nowadays, 50 years later, women’s lives are even more in danger. During the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2019, Piazza Duomo hosts the 8m high installation titled “Maestà Sofferente” especially created by Pesce for this occasion.
50 years ago also the Bocca sofa, an authentic pop icon, designed by Studio 65 for Gufram, came into production. In the USA it is known as the Marilyn sofa, as a tribute to the timeless Hollywood diva, and in recent times it took part in the world tours of Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue and Katy Perry. It is also displayed in several international museums such as the Museum of Applied Art and Science in Sydney, the Design Museum in Munich, the Musee des Art Decoratifs in Paris as well as many other cultural institutions on the five continents.
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Bocca revolutionizes its look. Today 25 colors meet its sinuous lines to start a new season, where bright colors combine with neutral hues. The new bouclé wool absorbs light in a completely new way and enhances Bocca’s sculptural presence.
[Text Cristina Provenzano]
