Gaetano Pesce Nobody’s perfect chair Zerodesigno Italy 2007

About the Item

This rare and one-of-a-kind “Nobody’s Perfect” chair, designed by Gaetano Pesce and manufactured by Zerodesigno, Italy, in 2007, is a striking example of postmodern functional art. Part of a limited series of anthropomorphic chairs, each piece in this collection possesses unique characteristics, molded individually by different artisans. As a result, no two chairs are ever the same, making each one an exceptional collector’s item. The title “Nobody’s Perfect” reflects Pesce’s philosophy, embracing imperfection as an essential and beautiful aspect of design. This chair, like many of his works, challenges the boundaries between art, sculpture, and furniture, elevating an everyday object into a statement piece. Molded from Pesce’s signature polychrome resin and finished with nylon nails, our version stands out with its stunning metallic salmon, silver, and green tones. A true testament to Pesce’s visionary approach, this chair balances delicacy with functionality. Despite its sculptural appearance, it remains in excellent condition, with no cracks and a clean, original finish. This particular example is signed and dated on the chair, embossed with the maker’s mark, and numbered 523. Originally designed in 2002, it was produced in 2007, showcasing the timeless nature of Pesce’s designs. Since Gaetano Pesce’s passing in 2024, interest in his work has surged, with collectors increasingly recognizing his furniture as sculptural masterpieces. As each chair in this series was crafted according to the artisan’s individual vision, some versions are more visually striking than others, making this particular piece a standout example. Given its rarity, unique colorway, and pristine condition, this chair is not just an avant-garde design object but also a highly desirable investment piece that will continue to appreciate in value.

Creator:
Zerodisegno (Manufacturer),Gaetano Pesce (Designer)
Dimensions:
Height: 36.62 in (93 cm)Width: 20.08 in (51 cm)Depth: 16.93 in (43 cm)Seat Height: 17.33 in (44 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Resin
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
2000-2009
Date of Manufacture:
2008
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Excellent original condition.
Seller Location:
Roosendaal, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU933049005782

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Gaetano Pesce

Gaetano Pesce was of a generation of Italian architects who in the early 1960s rebelled against the industrial perfection of modernism by conceiving new furniture and objects that were at once expressive and eccentric in form; or you might say they were more like art than functionalist design.

Born in the picturesque coastal Italian city of La Spezia in 1939, Pesce was a precocious talent who could have forged a career as an artist but opted instead to go to Venice to study architecture because, as he has said, it was “the most complex of all the arts.” Rather than having new worlds opened to him at design school, however, Pesce found the rationalist curriculum oppressive in its insistence on standardization and prescribed materials and technologies.

Pesce wanted to explore the latest of both materials and technologies to create objects and buildings never before imagined, with what he called “personalities” that spoke to the issues of the day. He was keen to examine ways to diversify mass production so that each manufactured work could be distinct.

In 1964, Pesce met Cesare Cassina, of the forward-looking furniture company C&B Italia in Milan (now known as B&B Italia), for whom he would create many important designs, beginning with a collection of what he called “transformational furniture” — two chairs and a loveseat — made entirely out of high-density polyurethane foam. To make the pieces easy to ship and cost-efficient, he proposed that after being covered in a stretch jersey, they be put in a vacuum, then heat-sealed flat between vinyl sheets. Once the foam was removed from its packaging, the piece returned to its original shape — hence, the name Up for the series, which debuted in 1969.

In addition to these pieces, Pesce proposed for the collection something he referred to as an “anti-armchair,” which took the shape of a reclining fertility goddess, the iconic Donna.

Producing the piece's complex form turned out to be a technical challenge. Bayer, the foam’s manufacturer, deemed it impossible to accomplish. Pesce persisted and came up with a new procedure, demonstrating not only the designer’s key role in researching the nature and potential of new materials but also his vital importance in “doubting rules.” The Up chair and accompanying ottoman were born, and they were revolutionary in more ways than one.

In the early 1970s, Pesce began exploring one of his key concepts, the idea of the industrial originals. Employing a mold without air holes, and adding a blood-red dye to the polyurethane, he cast a bookcase that resembled a demolished wall, the rough edges of the shelves and posts resulting from fissures in the material made by trapped air.

Through his research into polyurethane, Pesce figured out a way to make a loveseat and armchair using only a simple wood frame and strong canvas covering as a mold. Since the fabric developed random folds during the injection process, the pieces were similar but not identical. Cassina named the suite of furnishings Sit Down and introduced it in 1975. By experimenting with felt soaked in polyurethane and resin, Pesce conceived I Feltri, another collection of armchairs introduced by Cassina in 1987.

Pesce went on to live a life that defied expectation and convention and along the way became one of the most seminal figures in art and design.

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