With his diverse portfolio of work, the Swiss-born, Paris-based furniture designer Mattia Bonetti has earned many fans, including Robert Couturier, Reed Krakoff, and Michael S. Smith. Bonetti’s utterly original inventions—crafted in a variety of materials, including metal, glass, acrylic, and resin—range from simple sculptural shapes to all-out whimsy. A forthcoming publication, Mattia Bonetti (Editions Louvre Victoire), aims to capture Bonetti’s seemingly limitless creativity in a two-volume set comprising a total of 640 pages and more than 1,000 images.
“They were originally planning one book, but seeing the huge quantity of material, both photos and drawings, they reconsidered,” says Bonetti. Nevertheless, “not everything is in it,” he adds. “There is still more material.”
That’s because Bonetti is always dreaming up fantastical new furnishings. On April 29, Paul Kasmin Gallery in New York will host a book launch and open a four-day exhibition of his latest works. Among the pieces on view will be his organically shaped Clouds cocktail tables and consoles, made of bronze and glass; Meander armchairs and floor lamps with gold-plated bronze frames resembling squiggles; and the Crystal Candies lamp, which has a rock-crystal base and a shade festooned with rock-crystal pebbles.
Where does Bonetti keep coming up with such fresh ideas? “My major sources of inspiration are nature and art history, stretching from prehistoric times up to now,” he says. “I keep my eyes wide open, all the time.”
From April 29 through May 2 at Paul Kasmin Gallery, 297 Tenth Avenue, New York; paulkasmingallery.com
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