Joana Vasconcelos's 'Stupid Furniture' on View in Milan

Mimmo Scognamiglio Artecontemporanea in Milan is presenting a series of 'stupid furniture' pieces by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos (born 1971, Paris). Unlike the designer furniture showcased during the Salone del Mobile (June 7–12, 2022), these eleven objects are reworkings of anonymous, aesthetically valueless items. The collection was inspired by a painted wooden and glass cabinet belonging to the artist's great-grandmother and includes corner cabinets, a Louis XVI console, a hairdresser's helmet, a small column, a tiered table, shelves with drawers, and étagères. All have been transformed with colorful fabrics, beads, crochet, sequins, and trimmings, making them consistent with Vasconcelos's earlier work but notably smaller in scale—a departure from her typical gigantic installations. Created in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the pieces reflect Vasconcelos's reconsideration of her family life and domestic objects. Curator Demetrio Paparoni notes that Vasconcelos's work cannot be classified as metaphysical, pop, or Nouveau Réalisme; instead, it aligns with Manueline style, late Gothic, and Portuguese Baroque. Vasconcelos, who considers herself deeply 'Portuguese,' has works in public and private collections worldwide. The exhibition coincides with the installation of a 70-meter-long textile work at Lille Flandres station and follows a March 2022 show at the Paolo Orsi Museum in Syracuse featuring a giant textile sculpture enveloping ancient artifacts.