GUFRAM AT SALONE DEL MOBILE

Milan, 16 April 2024 - For the first time in years, Gufram returns to the fair. Within a single pavilion, the three brands part of the Italian Radical Design group - Gufram, Meritalia and Memphis - stand side by side and overlap over three different areas, giving visitors a global view of the history of radical design.

Gufram’s booth features the iconic CACTUS® in a new limited-collection called The Invisible Spectrum, a re-edition of Puffo by Giorgio Ceretti, Pietro Derossi and Riccardo Rosso and BROKEN MIRROR Almost White and Almost Black by New York-based architecture and design practice Snarkitecture. For Salone del Mobile, Gufram also unveils a new piece designed by the creative duo Soft Baroque.

The 2024 Salone del Mobile, provides Gufram with an opportunity to unveil its latest collaboration with the creative duo Soft Baroque.

Designers Saša Štucin and Nicholas Gardner have created a piece named Pietre, following the radical design inspired by built stone forms and the interplay between the material expectations its actual substance. Pietre serves as both a coffee table and seating, drawing inspiration from Gufram's past iconic pieces like Sassi and Massolo by master Piero Gilardi.

The inspiration behind Pietre comes from an ancient Bourbon arch glimpsed by the designers on the Naples Riviera. This arch, now undergoing restoration after collapsing due to structural issues caused by water and weathering, had worn away more quickly in the spaces between stones exhibiting an interesting effect. The erosion transformed the blocks into shapes reminiscent of in comics or cartoons—full and rounded. Soft Baroque has translated these characteristics into a pattern of polyurethane shapes, a material symbolic of Gufram's domestic sculptures. A monumental symbol has become almost comical.

Pietre is available in a Grigio Basalto (Basalt Grey) version and as a limited edition of 52 pieces, where 52 holds significance in Neapolitan superstition as the number symbolising stone. The limited edition comes in Rosso Arenaria (Sandstone Red) and Giallo Zolfo (Sulphur Yellow).

In Gufram's catalogue, Pietre is positioned as a contemporary object that reflects the brand's history. It showcases Gufram's ability to replicate and represent nature in novel and ironic ways. The stones in Pietre symbolise a natural element initially shaped by humans for use in ancient architectural works, only to revert to their original state when exposed to the elements.

CACTUS®: The Invisible Spectrum is a new limited-edition collection available in a total of 365 pieces for one year only. This new collection features three unique and surprising CACTUS® inspired by the optical wavelength range. Gufram makes exceptionally visible colours that are normally imperceptible to the human eye: Ultraviolet, Gammablue and Infrared.

The idea of working on colours aims at highlighting the power of this piece as a symbol of a renovated concept of Radical Design, a new way of looking at an icon with a fresh and contemporary perspective.

The new CACTUS® are part of a limited-edition collection that is available in only 365 pieces for one year starting April 2024. CACTUS®: The Invisible Spectrum aims at preserving the standing of CACTUS® as an incomparable icon as well as looking at the contemporary context: the updated range of colours is a way, to integrate it in homes around the world spreading the cheekiness and the disruption typical of Radical Design.

CACTUS® Ultraviolet is at the beginning of Gufram’s spectrum: ​ its short wavelength shade enriches every space stimulating intuition and imagination. CACTUS® Gammablue stands in the middle of the Gufram range as a symbol of balance between the extreme forces which surround us. Finally, CACTUS® Infrared, with its gradient shade, marks the end of the Gufram spectrum: its long wavelength hints to stamina and to the vitality of everyday life.

Gufram once again transcends conventional design boundaries with the Almost Black and Almost White Broken Mirrors, the latest editions of this avant-garde masterpiece designed by the New York-based duo Snarkitecture. The Broken Mirror, initially introduced by Gufram in 2017, is now presented in two new colours and a distinct texture, available in a limited edition of 777 pieces.

 Far beyond being a simple mirror, the Broken Mirror symbolises a rebirth of artistic expression. Featuring an unconventional concrete-like texture, the Almost Black and Almost White editions are infused with new, exclusive shades developed by Snarkitecture. These colours, meticulously crafted and exclusive to this project, underscore Gufram's unwavering commitment to originality. The Almost White exudes purity and minimalist sophistication, while the Almost Black radiates mystery and boldness.

The Broken Mirror is not merely a reflection; it transforms into an immersive work of art when encased in its soft polyurethane frame. This creation creates the illusion of a portal-like break in the wall, challenging conventional boundaries of form and function.

Drawing inspiration from the collaborative spirit of Italian radical designers of the Seventies, the Broken Mirror explores the intersection of art and architecture with shared curiosity and an experimental spirit. Handcrafted with meticulous care, the "broken" polyurethane frame surrounding the mirror ensures each Broken Mirror in the new 2024 series carries a subtly distinct concrete-like texture. Gufram's patented Guflac® paint achieves this wall-like texture, applied entirely by hand, providing a uniquely detailed texture while maintaining elasticity for unparalleled aesthetic experimentation.

With the Broken Mirror, Gufram and Snarkitecture have reimagined the commonplace mirror, transforming it into a captivating work of art that challenges perceptions and invites viewers into a world of surreality.

Originally designed in 1968 by the trio composed by Giorgio Ceretti, Pietro Derossi and Riccardo Rosso, the renowned Puffo was presented for the first time on occasion of the 14th edition Triennale Exhibition in Milan. At first glance, the shape of the ironic object recalls that of typical Milanese concrete traffic bollards, but its soft core reveals a comfortable seat, which offers relaxing moments to those who encounter it.

In the Puffo, soft expanded polyurethane replaces the hard consistency of concrete, leading its user to question its use and once again challenging the boundary between expectation and final effect. This iconic seat always succeeds in surprising those who use it, providing comfort and irony.

Exhibited in some of the most important museums in the world and sold by the most famous international auction houses, Puffo, typically presented in different colour variations, is now available for outdoor use also and in the new Giallo, Blu and Red nuances. In this new version of Puffo, the dominant colour is applied across the entire surface, and then dotted with a contrasting colour using the dripping technique, reminiscent of the most famous contemporary post-war artworks. Each Puffo is therefore a unique piece, being entirely hand-finished by Gufram artisans.

As seen with all the pieces of the Gufram collection, Puffo is handcrafted with meticulous care, starting from a block of expanded polyurethane to obtain a texture similar to concrete. The sculpted pieces are then coated with Guflac® Ultra, the evolution of Guflac®, a special paint invented by Gufram over 50 years ago, which makes each piece incredibly durable and resistant to atmospheric agents. Guflac® Ultra is applied entirely by hand, allowing the polyurethane to maintain its elasticity and softness, thus opening the doors to new aesthetic experiments.

For the exhibition concept and execution, Italian Radical Design has collaborated with the interdisciplinary architectural studio (AB)NORMAL, which has succeeded in integrating the three brands, respecting their uniqueness and peculiar characteristics but also creating a different and iconic environment. 

A central staircase is the stage for Gufram's icons: the exhibition area is covered in a synthetic fur to create an interesting interaction with the materiality of the brand's objects. The fur simulates a grassy surface on which the pieces are displayed, generating a landscape effect. In addition to this, a LED on the wall simulates daily light moving from sunrise to sunset.

NOTES TO THE EDITORS

16 - 21 April 2024

Fiera Milano, Rho

Hall. 24 | Booth M10 - M12

To request your press accreditation for Salone del Mobile, please register HERE. 

ABOUT SNARKITECTURE

Snarkitecture is a New York-based design practice dedicated to reimagining the familiar. We collaborate with cultural, commercial and private clients around the world to design memorable spaces, experiences and objects. With a focus on sensory experience, the studio works across scales and typologies, including retail, hospitality, residential, collectible design, and object collaborations.

With an ethos of “not art, not architecture” and a methodology that challenges conventional approaches to materials and structures, our team thrives on creating environments and moments that invite people to explore, play, and reflect. 

www.snarkitecture.com | @snarkitecture

ABOUT SOFT BAROQUE

Nicholas Gardner and Saša Štucin work simultaneously in object design and art. Their London based practice focuses on creating work with conflicting functions and imagery, without abandoning beauty or consumer logic. They are keen to blur the boundaries between acceptable furniture typologies and conceptual representative objects.

So far they’ve been showing work at the V&A, Christie’s and Aram Gallery in London, Swiss Institute, Friedman Benda, Patrick Parrish in New York, A Palazzo Gallery in Brescia, Etage Projects in Copenhagen, Depot Basel in Basel, Het Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, Collective Design in New York, Nomad in Monaco and St. Moritz and Design Miami in Basel and Miami fairs and at Milan, London, New York, Stockholm and Dubai Design Week.

www.softbaroque.com | @soft_baroque