DESIGN Fenis was expressly designed to reflect a highly theatrical approach to interior design, with the simple, anatomical lines and sculptural shaping of the seat drawing from vernacular furniture
Reale is an example of mechanical perfection, designed with a manufacturing intelligence which draws from the concepts of mass production, with all joining elements (some of them designed on a bespoke basis) fitting together with precision
Unique
Zanotta is paying tribute to Carlo Mollino Designer and architect Carlo Mollino (1905-1973) is today a well-known figure, but this was not the case in 1981, when Aurelio Zanotta decided to manufacture the solid-wood Fenis Alpine chair. Fenis was designed by Mollino in 1959 for the campus of the Turin Polytechnic, where he had been a professor since 1953 and of which he later became rector. In the early 1980s, Zanotta became interested in the experiments carried out by Mollino in interior design. Since then, Zanotta has tirelessly studied the contents of the Mollino archive, in an attempt to perfect the collection of objects in its range. Zanotta is framing the collection as a tribute and not as a reissue, because Mollino is truly unique in his genre. He did not design for industrial production but
instead collaborated with artisans and other figures who worked on the original designs, modifying them as part of a concerted effort. Mollino’s designs and sketches were not blueprints for mass production but documents designed to be discussed in the workshop. Zanotta’s Mollino Collection 2020 features eight tribute pieces covering a period of 21 years, all featuring the initials CM: Fenis CM (1959), a re-design of the typical Valle D’Aosta-style chair; the Carlino CM storage container – the first piece designed by Mollino, in 1938, which rests on a single pointed leg and also features a drawer; the Milo CM mirror designed for Casa Miller in 1938, evoking the curved, seductive lines of the Venus de Milo statue; the Ardea CM armchair (1946), designed for socialising,
with a high backrest that curves over itself at the top, creating a more private, intimate space; the Reale CM table (1948) featuring a complex, architectural trestle structure that supports a glass table top; the Arabesco CM side table (1949), characterised by the balance between the curved, carved lines of the structure and the transparent surfaces; the Cavour CM desk (1949) with its contrast between the natural, slanting lines of the structure and the bold, geometric presence of the storage compartment, chest of drawers and glass top; and the reclining Gilda CM armchair (1953), which embodies the designer’s eclectic style thanks to a sophisticated structure which uses the armrest to link the front and rear legs. Visit: www.zanotta.it
Arabesco’s perforated curves create a fluid visual effect, breaking up the wooden structure in the areas under the least amount of stress
The slanted organic shaping of the sleek, asymmetrical Cavour is offset by the full geometric forms of the storage compartment, chest of drawers and desk top
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Interiors Monthly September 2020
