Borsani and Arteluce at Jochum Rodgers in Berlin
So Happy Together
This month, Galerie Jochum Rodgers—a recently relocated (and renamed) staple of the Berlin design gallery scene for over 30 years—presents a show dedicated to the innovations of Italian designer pioneers Osvaldo Borsani and Gino Sarfatti, spanning works from the 1940s to the 1960s. (The former was part of the esteemed Borsani design family and the co-founder of Tecno, a furniture firm known for its technology and research-based approach. The latter launched the Arteluce lighting company in 1939, which was regarded for its forward-thinking technical, material, and production experimentation.) Both designers remain important touch points for the global design community, as evidenced by a comprehensive 2012 Sarfatti/Arteluce retrospective at the Triennale Museum in Milan as well as a recent announcement by Osvaldo Borsani's grandson, Tommaso Fantoni Borsani, about plans for an upcoming retrospective later this year (read our April interview with Tommaso here).
Jochum Rodgers' spacious Charlottenburg home is brimming with gorgeous works by both designers and their respective companies. Highlights include, among others, Borsani's theatrical 1942 Love Seat, the striking and adjustable Daybed L77, and a solid wood Round Table with a gorgeous, gold inlay tabletop; as well as a variety of postwar Arteluce lights incorporating materials like Plexiglas and halogen bulbs (the 1948 height-adjustable floor lamp 1045/n in steel, brass, and lacquered aluminum is a particular standout, as is a 1958, black enamel and white Perspex Sarfatti/Arteluce ceiling lamp).
*All images courtesy of Jochum Rodgers
More to Love
Table Lamps by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1968, Set of 2
Mid-Century Rolling Bar Table by Eugenio Gerli for Tecno
Italian Ceiling Light by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1950s
Vintage D70 Sleeper Sofa by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
T69 Dining Table by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1964
Lounge Chair by Alfredo Bonetti & Valeria Borsani for Tecno, 1965
Mid-Century D70 Sofa Bed by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Vintage P32 Swivel Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Round Marble Dining Table by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1964
Rosewood Boomerang Desk by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
P600 Table Lamp by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1966
Low P31 Chair in Rosewood by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Italian Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1970s, Set of 6
Modus Office Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1975, Set of 2
Mid-Century P128 Swivel Desk Chair by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Vintage Plexiglass Table Lamps by Gino Sarfatti, Set of 2
Suspended Lamps by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce, 1950s, Set of 3
Vintage Model 2097 Chandelier by Gino Sarfatti for Flos
Maple Wardrobe by Osvaldo Borsani
P110 Canada Chair in Pink by Osvaldo Borsani
P110 Canada Chair in Blue by Osvaldo Borsani
T73 Coffee Table by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, 1960s
P31 Low Walnut Chairs by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno, Set of 2
Low P31 Chair in Teak by Osvaldo Borsani for Tecno
Mid-Century 2097/30 Chandelier by Gino Sarfatti for Arteluce