mendini’s surprise table.
at first glance, it’s a simple little table—but when you fold it out, the tabletop becomes a backrest, transforming it into a chair that almost looks like a throne. a decorated high chair, it’s stunning 80’s graphic design extending across the seat and armrests. the name “zabro” seems to refer to a species of beetle. this detail, too, illustrates mendini’s approach: he sought emotion in design—and naming valuable pieces of furniture after beetles wasn’t exactly common practice in the serious world of business.
alessandro mendini (milano, 1931-2019) was an architect, designer, painter, theorist, publisher, revolutionary and „chevalier des arts et des lettres“. 1979 he joined alessandro guerriero’s design group „alchimia“, meeting and working with ettore sottsass, michele de lucchi, andrea branzi and robert & trix hausmann. he worked as editor of design magazines like „casabella“ and „domus“, built museums and train stations and worked for companies like „zanotta“, „cassina“, „swatch“ or „alessi“. he received numerous international awards (including three „compassi d’oro“) and his objects are shown in nearly every design museum in the world. a true renaissance man who had a significant influence on the second half of the 20th century.
he shaped italian radical design and provoked controversy by rejecting both traditional “bel design” and pure functionalism. he experimented with „re-design“, taking over existing objects and decorating them (like the well-known „proust“ armchair, covered in pointillistic colour strokes). according to mendini, design does not consist in creating something new, but in rearranging the familiar. he tried to give objects a soul through the poetry of design: “as far as I am concerned, it is not design that interests me: i use design not as a means to an end, but in order to carry out my natural vital role, which is to produce images.” alessandro mendini, domus website. for this personal view and mendini’s attitude the „zabro“ is a great example: not as a table or a chair – but as a piece of handcrafted art that evokes associations and memories.
alessandro mendini table/chair „zabro“, early version by „divisione nuova alchimia“, later versions labelled as “zanotta edizioni”. metal plaque showing the „zabro“ name, initials „am“ and the „beetle logo“, the subline „divisione nuova alchimia 1984“ and the production number 016389 (it’s a code, not a count – e.g., number 016399 refers to another object called „atomaria“).
table top and seat made of blue-grey lacquered wood with handcrafted polychrome decoration by mendini (rosé / black / blue / gray / white). armrests upholstered in rosé faux leather. the chair can be converted into a table by folding down the tabletop.
h: 137cm (54 in); w: 93cm (36.5 in); d: 50cm (19.5 in)
in good original vintage condition, shows signs of usage.
catalogue: radical – italian design 1965-1985, p. 139 (the dennis freedman collection, the museum of fine arts, houston; yale university press 2020)
learn more about alessandro mendini at:
- designindex italy
- atelier alchimia
- atelier mendini
- architektur & wohnen (german)
