"Fan" Dining Chair by Emanuele Zenere for Cattelan Italia, Italy, 1990s

If the first word that springs to mind is "Memphis", then you are right. This is the sculptural, paradigm-eluding and often scandalous style that Emanuele Zenere adhered to when designing this chair, and Cattelan Italia made an excellent job producing it. The name comes, of course, from fan-shaped metal backrest, which stands upon a deceptively simple beechwood frame. A closer look reveal a slightly curved seat, curved tapered back legs and tapered front legs featuring some sort of simplified ornamentation. The seat is done in blue leather, which completes the triad of colours and materials. An admirable detail is the way the leather seat's curved corners fit into the legs' top. Another one is the ovaloid slit in the leather which makes room for the fan backrest to shoot up. Why the fan shape, why the blue seat and the strange-shaped legs? It's not necessary to know everything the Memphis designers were thinking and aiming for; sometimes we just lay back and enjoy their works.

Height: 83 cm

Width: 43 cm

Depth: 50 cm

Seat Height: 46 cm