Architectural chairs
- Cosimo creates chairs inspired by landmark buildings
- He is following in the footsteps of his family
- He sees tradition and innovation as complementary
Cosimo de Vita comes from a family of artisans, he carries on the family tradition by creating exquisite wooden chairs decorated with the architectonic masterpieces of Florence – a way for expat Florentines to feel back in their home town, and for all those who love Florence to bring a piece of the city’s beauty and artisanal tradition into their houses. Cosimo considers himself both an artisan and artist, stating that “artists have the vision but they don’t always have the savoir-faire” and vice-versa. He is worried that craftmanship in Florence would become somewhat of a tourist attraction: “Being an artisan is not about entertaining a crowd, it is about working and creating things with your hands.”
INTERVIEW
My great grandfather made seats for cinemas. I never met him but I was fascinated by his work. I think of the chair as a versatile object: we use it for multiple purposes but, more broadly, it represents occupying a space in time.
I love architecture, that’s why I chose to place Florence’s architectonic masterpieces on my chairs. But originally I got the idea by sitting down in Santo Spirito square: I envisioned the church as the backrest and the churchyard as the seat.
During the Renaissance, artisans and carpenters in particular opened their workshops in San Frediano and Santo Spirito (which is where I come from), providing service to the noble homes around the Medici’s Palazzo Pitti. These neighbourhoods are still the heart of Florentine craftmanship.
Craftmanship has always benefited from innovation – knives, saws, crank drills, electric drills…Today I sometimes use CNC machines. Whilst the human hand and eye cannot be replaced, it is interesting to use the contemporary technology available.
Cosimo de Vita
Chair maker
Florence, Italy
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+39 3932841149
LANGUAGES
Italian, English
