Collection design inspired by technical outfits

We had already talked about One-piece chair in the past through the works of designer Pierre Castignola, who reasoned on the wide distribution of this object, based on the fact that the original design was never patented and that is why it was later reproposed by so many different manufacturers. All this allowed the Monoblock to spread globally and enter homes, bars and restaurants across the world, becoming a universal symbol as well as carrying a feeling of comfort but also of nostalgia. If Castignola revisits it by deconstructing it and reassembling it, the artist Kuril Chto offers it instead in the blue of Yves Klein first on canvas then in a giant versionbut also in miniature and in necklace. Let’s find out more about this artist and his current exhibition at Venice has Kunst Depot space “Parrucche ai Biri” in the Cannaregio district, in collaboration with the 60th Art Biennale.

The monoblock is foreign everywhere, like us

“The artist is fascinated by the omnipresence of the chair, its omnipresence on the surface of the planet, and the implications of hospitality offered by this simple piece of furniture. As media expert and inventor of pop-up advertising Ethan Zuckerman points out on his blog: “The Monoblock offers no linguistic clue, no obvious sign that it has been localized. Wherever you are, it’s home,‘”explains the curator of the exhibition Valentin Diaconov, which offers the viewer a simple key to interpreting Kuril Chto’s entire exhibition. In other words, and wanting to connect to the theme proposed by this year’s Biennale – Strangers everywhere -, the artist erects the Monobloc chair as a symbol of always being at home, as an object widespread both in the present and in the past, inevitably bringing us back to childhood memories, particularly linked to summer vacations. From an inanimate plastic object, the chair takes care of humanityimbued with values ​​such as welcome and hospitality.

Just like Nausicaa she welcomes you wherever you are

Even more, under the guise of Monobloc, Kuril Chto questions the relationship between objects and human beings and their interconnections. In this sense, the artist plays with the dimensions of the chair and creates miniatures which in some cases become accessories, like the One-piece collar he presents during the exhibition. Here, in the gallery spaces, the chair is the undisputed protagonist while the human figure is absentif it is not covered only by the public which becomes a active part of the way by being able to sit on chairs installed in the center of the space with umbrellas and beach tables. Nostalgia and loneliness are the emotions that Chto evokes, providing an extra layer of reflection with the inclusion of the epic. Nausicaäthe character in Homer’s Odyssey who offers shelter and food to Ulysses, becomes the perfect analogy for the Monobloc this has always been present in Kuril’s travels, wherever he is.

The exhibition Under the protection of JupiterSponsored by Bahnhof Gallery is open until May 17 at the KUNST DEPOT ‘Wigs to Biri’ in Canareggio, Venice.

Courtesy of Kuril Chto, Station Gallery