ROBERTO MATTA
From Canvas to Chair: The MAgriTTA
Among Matta’s most iconic contributions to the world of design is the MAgriTTA seat in polyurethane upholstered with bouclé wool, produced in collaboration with Gufram. Created as a tribute to René Magritte, the seat is a whimsical embodiment of surrealist principles: a green bowler hat forms the backrest, while the cushion is shaped like a red apple. Upholstered in bouclé wool and crafted in polyurethane, the MAgriTTA chair exemplifies Roberto Matta’s ability to bring visual metaphor into the everyday. Both an object of comfort and a sculptural provocation, it has become one of the most recognizable pieces in the Gufram collection and a highlight of radical Italian design.
Surrealism in Function
Matta saw design not as a departure from art, but as an extension of it. His innovative designer furniture pieces, including the MAgriTTA seat, reflect the same tensions found in his paintings: between organic and synthetic, stable and chaotic. With its bold symbolism and dreamlike shape, the chair is more than an homage to surrealism: it’s an invitation to rethink how we interact with form and meaning. Often exhibited in museums and design fairs, the MAgriTTA by Roberto Matta has become a collector’s item sought after by design enthusiasts and art lovers alike.
A Legacy Across Disciplines
Throughout his life, Matta’s work navigated between mediums, constantly challenging the boundaries of artistic convention. His journey through design history reveals a commitment to imagination and transformation. While many know him for his expansive canvases, his influence also lives on through radical design, where the surreal becomes inhabitable. References to the MAgriTTA price or inquiries on where to buy Roberto Matta designs online reflect the continued resonance of his aesthetic in today’s interiors for designer seating.
Matta’s Enduring Impact
Matta’s biography is a testament to a life devoted to creation: one that continues to influence contemporary visual culture. As a surrealist designer, his collaborations with Gufram opened new pathways for functional art. The Gufram MAgriTTA chair remains one of the most playful and conceptually rich objects in modern furniture design and creative armchairs. With its layered symbolism and tactile absurdity, it encapsulates Matta’s enduring desire to collapse the walls between body, space, and psyche. Today, his legacy endures not just in galleries, but in the very objects we choose to live with.