Collection by Allie Weiss

Iconic and Whimsical 20th-Century Chairs

Chairs: we sit in them all day, but how often do we stop to admire them? In the Swiss Institute's inaugural edition of its design series, architect Andreas Angelidakis curates a selection of 20th-century chairs. Arranged in a theatrical display, complete with low-tech lighting effects, wooden crates, and other stylistic props, the chairs—which include highlights by Marcel Breuer, Pierre Jeanneret, and Gaetano Pesce—are given an otherworldly, anthropomorphic energy. Click through the slideshow to see some of the standout chairs on view.

Alessandro Mendini, NONCHAIR (1981)
Alessandro Mendini, NONCHAIR (1981)
Mario Botta, Botta 91 (1990-91)
Mario Botta, Botta 91 (1990-91)
Mario Botta, Seconda (1982)
Mario Botta, Seconda (1982)
Andrea Branzi, Animali Domestici (1985)
Andrea Branzi, Animali Domestici (1985)
Marcel Breuer, No. 302 (1932)
Marcel Breuer, No. 302 (1932)
Pierre Jeanneret, PJ-SI-29-A, “Office cane chair” for Punjab University & Administration Buildings, Chandigarh, India (1955-1956)
Pierre Jeanneret, PJ-SI-29-A, “Office cane chair” for Punjab University & Administration Buildings, Chandigarh, India (1955-1956)
Alfred Roth (1933)
Alfred Roth (1933)