The collection
Square aluminum frame supports a translucent plastic shell forming the back and seat, supported by tubular aluminum legs.
1970

Chair, Plona

Designed by
Giancarlo Piretti (born 1940)
Material
Aluminum, methacrylate
Produced by
Anonima Castelli, Milan, Italy
Dimensions
71.7 x 68 x 56 cm

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, D87.183.1

The folding chair form has a long history—it was often used in camps where compactness and portability were necessary qualities for all equipment. The Plona chair is a modern version of the form, using plastic methacrylate and aluminum in place of traditional wood and canvas. The chair folds and stacks by means of a round hinge that links its seat and legs, making it portable and easy to store like Piretti’s previous design, Plia.

It is also stylish, reflecting the Pop taste for transparent materials, which made Italian design famous in the 1960s and ’70s. It was also lightweight and sturdy enough for both indoor and outdoor use.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, photo: Giles Rivest.