In 1924, surrealism shook the art scene by launching its manifesto, which was rooted in the language of dreams, the unconscious, and the fantastical. A century later, amid the numerous celebrations Paris is dedicating to the birth of the movement — including a major retrospective at the Centre Pompidou — its ironic and provocative spirit made an appearance during the latest Paris Design Week through an exhibition at Galerie Poggi, which focused on Salvador Dalì's furniture.
Salvador Dalí as an interior designer: rediscovering surrealist furniture
From the Saliva sofa to Chupa Chups with their pop logo, the projects with which the most famous figure of surrealism played with furniture and design went on show in Paris.
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
Paris Design Week à la Galerie Poggi, Scénographie de Joan Madera, 2024 - Courtesy BD Barcelona Design and Galerie Poggi ©.kit
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- Giulia Zappa
- 28 September 2024
Organized in partnership with BD Barcelona Design, the long-time publisher of Dalì, Antoni Gaudí, and Òscar Tusquets, the exhibition curated by interior architect Joan Madera revolved around the Saliva prototype, a polystyrene sofa from 1972, itself an evolution of the Bocca seat that Dalì created in 1938 for Edward James, a surrealist patron. This piece was inspired by his painting The Face of Mae West (which may be used as a surrealist apartment), where the lips of the American actress were depicted as a sofa.
Surrounding Saliva, other pieces seamlessly fit into this unique path, such as the fur-covered Invisible Personage armchair, the sculptural Leda armchair with stiletto feet, and the Muletas lamp, where the stem is made of intertwined small bones. There were also some 1980s projects presented as part of a carte blanche given to the NES gallery in Paris, featuring works by Philippe Starck, Shiro Kuramata, and Andrée Putman.
A fun fact: not far from Saliva, a Chupa Chups dispenser catches the eye on the counter at Galerie Poggi. Its presence is no accident—Dalí designed the iconic logo for the lollipop in the 1960s. Who would have guessed that this pop culture symbol, with its bold colors and vibrant energy, could so perfectly extend the sensual allusions that defined Dalí's work?