UPHOLSTERY
Icons
From left: FK, Foster 502, 369 and Fabricius make up Black Edition
Black is back in a special collection of classics As symbols of identity, icons act as signposts throughout our lives. Their unique nature makes them a lighthouse in a sea of sameness. And not only because they are so recognisable. Icons awaken our emotions and establish values. When it comes to iconic pieces of furniture, it is above all the classics of modernity that impress us with their beauty, their harmony and their completeness. Icons do not age. Their influence does not decrease with time – by contrast, it increases as they endure. There is nothing more sustainable in life than an icon. Colours too can be iconic. Or noncolours. The image of Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is unforgettable. Black is a classic, the epitome of elegance, ease and style. From Konrad Adenauer’s limousine to James Bond’s tuxedo – certain objects are only imaginable in black. Artists including Kasimir Malewitsch, Pierre Soulages and Mark Rothko use black as
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Interiors Monthly July 2021
a medium of abstraction. And for Lucio Fontana, the non-colour represents the end and the beginning: in essence, eternity. The painter and sculptor Anish Kapoor recently secured the artistic rights to a specific black, Vantablack, which absorbs 99.9% of light and makes
structures ‘disappear’ to the eye. Black is also never just black – the colour is surprisingly versatile. Black is ubiquitous in design, because it creates contrasts with every other colour. It underlines contours, defines forms, and is both statement-making
Foster 502 sofa and chair
