Leonardo

Realized in 1969 in only one prototype, which now part of the Vitra Design Museum, Leonardo is a visionary interpretation of modular couches, so common in the houses of the Sixties. Its essence lies in its complete compositional freedom, which is in perfect harmony with the anti conformist spirit of the times. In each configuration, Leonardo celebrates, deconstructs, and exalts the American flag. Hinting at domestic play, it focuses on the values of independence and freedom, on the peaceful revolutions represented by jazz and rock music, on the lightness of Kerouac's travel on the road, and on the brotherhood of Flower Power. This couch, free from joints and structural constraints, and thus freely modular, is a clear reference to the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo da Vinci, because its modules are obtained from two concentric circles inscribed within a square, and it is marked by two orthogonal and two diagonal axes. Leonardo is a domestic sculpture rich in meaning that does not renounce its soft connotation, since it is completely made of polyurethane. The American flag that decorates it is painted by hand using Guflac, the particular paint patented by Gufram that makes it possible to make polyurethane look like leather while maintaining its flexibility and softness.
Leonardo is the icon of the itinerant exhibit Pop Art Design that has been travelling around the world for years and has been hosted by the most important museums; moreover, it was on display at the Barbican Centre in London, at the Louisiana Museum in Denmark, and at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.