Presented at Homo Faber 2024 in Venice – the event celebrated the best there is in international contemporary craftsmanship from 1 to 30 September – the new Walt Chair comes from the collaboration between Giampiero Bodino and De Castelli, who have deeply transformed the meaning of the chair from a functional object into an object of affection, sending an undeniable message of inclusivity, closeness and connection.
With many allusive names (vis à vis, courting bench, tête à tête, chaperone chair, gossip chair, le confident, etc.) this neoclassical piece of furniture was once widespread in England and France. It alludes to polite society, designed specifically to allow for conversation while maintaining a respectable distance: the back/armrest creates an ‘S’, which divides the two mirrored seats and makes conversation possible while avoiding physical contact.
Bodino’s chair for De Castelli is a sophisticated reference to this object, though it completely overturns the original logic of its use. Instead of separating, it unites: the chair is composed of two single identical elements defined by soft, symmetrical curves, designed to nestle perfectly and create a sinuous and welcoming composition which invites people to engage in an empathetic relationship.
The chair interprets the values of love and union with its organic lines, embellished by a surprising graphic mark: when the two parts are aligned, it’s possible to read a poem by Walt Whitman on the seat, erosion-engraved on its metal surface. Seen from above, the curvilinear perimeter echoes the infinity symbol, the union of past, present and future and a reference to the journey that is life.
Entirely in brass, the Walt Chair combines polished thicker elements with a brushed finish on the seat and backrest, creating a suggestive interplay of variations and reflections.
