Rare MP-81 Sofa In Original Leather by Percival Lafer, 1970

About the Item

This artwork embodies Percival's unique artistic essence. It presents innovative formal and structural solutions, while its symbolic significance seamlessly harmonizes with what can be seen as a reflection of a cultural design narrative. The robust form gains stability from legs reminiscent of logs, fragments of organic branches, and native elements, infusing a genuine bricolage-inspired character into its composition, albeit on a surface level. The individual components seem to interconnect through a spontaneous interplay of energies and masses. The substantial leather-clad framework seems to exert a gravitational pull on the legs, and when inclined, imparts a feeling of delicate balance amidst the elements—a trait previously explored. Although there's an undeniable echo of Sérgio Rodrigues' Poltrona Mole, this creation still radiates an aura of ingenuity and freshness. All utilized elements stem from industrial production methods. Lafer's explicit intention to marry industrially crafted furnishings with an artisanal touch is particularly evident in this instance. The sculpted profiles of the legs, along with the meticulously carved buttons made from solid jatoba, underwent mechanized cutting and turning procedures. Two distinct structural evolutions emerged. The initial rendition featured a fiberglass shell encased in a protective layer, onto which the legs were securely affixed. As time progressed, injected foam gained precedence as the preferred material for the armchairs' bodies. The shell surrendered its structural role, evolving into a mere mold, replaced by an "x"-shaped metallic framework embedded within the foam during the injection process. Leather enshrouded the upholstery ensemble, with its tufted design enhancing the kinetic interplay of shapes. The overall impression conveys a significant mass, sculpted to form the seating area, as if molded by a dance of tension and release.

Creator:

Percival Lafer (Artist)

Dimensions:

Height: 27.55 in (69.98 cm)Width: 80.315 in (204 cm)Depth: 31.49 in (79.99 cm)

Materials and Techniques:

Fiberglass,Foam,Leather,Wood

Place of Origin:

Brazil

Period:

Late 20th Century

Date of Manufacture:

1970

Condition:

Seller Location:

São Paulo, BR

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU8505235574182

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Shop All Percival Lafer

Percival Lafer

When it comes to mid-century furniture, the innovative work of the Brazilian Modernists has often been overlooked, including the designs of prolific maker Percival Lafer. Lafer studied architecture at São Paulo’s Universidade Mackenzie. After he graduated, his father passed away suddenly, leaving a furniture business that Lafer took over with his brothers.

Taking up the mantle, Lafer made the jump from architecture to furniture design in 1961, putting a focus on thoughtfully designed pieces available at affordable prices. That year, he introduced his supremely popular MP-1 chair, a plush piece of furniture made with iron and wood that he has riffed on throughout his entire career. The silhouettes of his lounge chairs, armchairs and other seating were distinct from streamlined American and European mid-century modernism, taking on casual, puffed forms thanks to his use of polyurethane layers as padding. He combined such contemporary industrial materials with local natural ones, namely Brazilian hardwoods, which delighted customers around the world as Lafer became one of the country’s leading exporters of furniture.

Lafer has continued to design furniture throughout his career, branching into sofas, tables and lighting. He was at the forefront of mechanical furniture movements, debuting the MP-7 sofa, which could turn into a twin bed, in 1965, the first such piece on the market. One of his most intriguing projects was the MP Lafer, a two-seat fiberglass roadster designed to emulate British sports cars. Some 4,300 units were produced over its 16-year manufacturing run in the ’70s and ’80s, with several ending up in the collections of major car museums.

Still, Lafer’s biggest claim to fame is his seating, which he continues to design, drawing inspiration from modern shapes and local materials. In 2017, a retrospective of his work was organized as part of the São Paulo Design Weekend.

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