Take your seat
Italian artist Andrea Bianconi’s exhibit ‘Journey of the Chair’ opens in Montrose art gallery
A large wooden crate marks the entrance into the opening reception of the “Journey of the Chair” exhibition at Barbara Davis Gallery in Montrose. Graffiti covers the 8-foot-tall box, with the word “idea” sprayed in black paint.
When asked what is inside the container, artist Andrea Bianconi replies, “It’s a crate of ideas.” Which is partially true.
Upstairs, curious onlookers peer over a balcony ledge at the mysterious box. It doesn’t tick, though there’s a palpable element of suspense.
Inside the gallery, visitors test-drive Bianconi’s chairs. They’re light pink leather and have “Sit Down to Have an Idea” scrawled on them. Each one costs $6,000. Curator Eduardo Portillo shares that roughly six are still available — a few have already sold. A gray version more closely resembles a swiveling office chair and is available for $5,000.
In 2016, the Italianbased artist hit a creative roadblock. While in his studio, he glanced over at a green velvet chair that once belonged to his grandmother and impulsively wrote “Sit Down to Have an Idea” on it. The text became a manifesto. “And that chair became my friend,” Bianconi said.
He hauled the green chair all over Italy. It made appearances across four cities in both public and private spaces. By the time Luxy, a chair manufacturer, reached out to Bianconi in 2022, his creation had developed into a series. The pink Biga chairs were inspired by grand Roman chariots; their gray counterpart is meant for the workplace and daily decisions. Both now have wheels, as a souvenir from his little Italian road trip.
“A chair with wheels can be moved from one place to another,” he said. “It is a chair that contains the idea of travel and displacement.”
Halfway through the party, a loud boom echoes through the venue. Gallery owner Barbara Davis and Portillo clear a path as two figures dressed in black pull the wooden container into the main space. The sound intensifies as the crowd gathers around.
After a few moments of silence, a hand emerges from the top of the box. A paper airplane is in position between the index finger and thumb as Bianconi’s voice rings out, “Love, love, love, love.”
The love letter takes flight and several people giggle. The next one is covered in “kisses” and collides with an audience member as Bianconi yells “kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss kiss” in his sing-songy lilt.
By the time he yells, “Sex!” the crowd is roaring with laughter. That note crashes into Precious Uwaezuoke, who collects nearly half a dozen paper planes by the performance’s end.
“It’s like life, you receive messages all the time from who knows where,” Bianconi explains after emerging from his wooden cocoon. “I enjoyed myself. I couldn’t see anyone, but I heard all the people.”
The event was so wellreceived that Davis and Portillo scheduled an encore for the following weekend. In addition to the chairs, Bianconi has other works on view as well. “Wall Drawing” (2022) in acrylic and ink brings an urban garden into the buyer’s desired space.
Though for those in the market for divine inspiration or their next big idea, the artist suggests taking a seat.