cactus canape sofa and ottoman stools by maurizio galante

‘canapé cactus couch’ by maurizio galante

showing as part of the ‘isn’t it romantic’ exhibition at MAKK in köln is paris-based italian designer maurizio galante‘s ‘canapé cactus couch’. made up of a cluster of prickly-printed cushions, the sofa plays on irony through the contradictory elements. the barbed plant is printed on bi-elastic fabric, with the seating designs complemented with matching ottomans. 

the exhibition, entitled ‘isn’t it romantic? contemporary design between poetry and provocation’ opens alongside imm cologne (the international furniture fair in cologne) – and runs from the 14th of january through to the 21st of april, 2013. it attempts to address our current understanding of romanticism and to explore the new desire for a longing for beauty and harmony and also for a place of fulfillment. romantic tendencies are, for example, expressed in patterns, in materials and processing techniques, but also in concepts that take up and reinterpret poetic, ironic and even disturbing principles of romanticism.

the ‘tattoo forest’ are a series of ottomans complementing the couch