For the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, Gaetano Pesce and Cassina have decided to collaborate on an ambitious project called Sessantuna. Gaetano Pesce will design 61 tables to represent 1861, the year in which Italy was unified. Each table is unique, but when placed together they would recreate the Italian peninsula, a patriotic homage to the country.
The project revisits the famous red, white and green Sansone table (no longer in production) unveiled by Gaetano Pesce and Cassina in 1980. Every Sessantuna table is produced with innovative resins, cast in the three colors of the Italian flag.
While I love the idea of this project and the artistic integrity of each piece (and the pieces as a whole), I’m not a fan of patriotic furnishings. What are your thoughts on this project?
Emily on 07.14.2010 at 10:11 AM
this is very kitsch but i love it! i would buy one.
http://www.designmilly.blogspot.com/ ( please visit my design blog :)
trish on 07.14.2010 at 10:16 AM
the concept is awesome, not sure how i feel about the final product. maybe if it had different table legs it would come together better.
Beth Dotolo on 07.14.2010 at 10:41 AM
my italian-american relatives would love this, since their baby has a crocheted italian flag blanket and they sport the ‘italia’ shirts on a daily basis… but, me?? No, thank you!
Tyler on 07.14.2010 at 10:43 AM
I agree about patriotic furnishings. The idea is kind of cool; each individual table looks pretty ghastly though. Putting all three colors on every table makes it seem kind of childish. I think it would be sweet only as a whole.
NoTnx on 07.14.2010 at 10:47 AM
There is nothing to be proud to be Italian, expecialy in that political moment.
About the table is “Horrible”
Why At this moment is so semple made a kitsch, ugly and non-sense furniture, add “Design” before the name, and everyone applaud it?
P.S.
Yes i’m Italian! and live in Torino the ex ita(maybe world) capital of design before Milano stolen it.
And yes i’m not glad to be Italian but, glad to be Piemontese!
Paula on 07.14.2010 at 18:54 PM
I’m not a fan of patriotic furnishing neither. I think it’s a delicate situation to use it without being tacky. All put together the tables look good and make sense, but I’m not crazy about them individually. At least not for a residence. Now I can see them fit well in an Italian restaurant, with the right decor.
andrea on 07.15.2010 at 08:14 AM
i’m italian, but i really don’t like this. Probabily the project could be interesting but is quite banal the idea and the result is really kitch. I think italian designer and artists can do much better things
anson on 07.15.2010 at 23:56 PM
I don’t really love it, but I have to admit: this would be great for world cup fans.
andrea on 07.16.2010 at 09:29 AM
@anson
right, but not for italians world cup fans, we just want to forgot this world cup and football as well ;-)
Wesley on 07.25.2010 at 20:11 PM
I really like the legs. I think I wouldn’t mind purchasing one that also has some ‘sea’ (blue) on it, so it wouldn’t be so extremely Italian-flag-themed.