273 - Studio 65

Studio 65 La Bocca Sofa Expanded polyurethane, stretch fabric Gufram Edition Year designed: 1971 H85 L212 P80 cm The red Bocca sofa, shaped like a giant mouth, is an icon of the 1970s. Originally created in 1936 by Salvador Dalí as a tribute to actress Mae West’s mouth, it was redesigned in 1971 by Studio 65 to resemble Marilyn Monroe’s lips. Now produced by Gufram, this sofa is made of polyurethane foam with a red stretch fabric cover that is machine-washable at 40°. Bocca—both a comfortable sofa or armchair and a modern sculpture—is now featured in several museum collections. The Turin-based collective, composed of avant-garde architects, revolutionized the conventions of furniture design by creating statement pieces that challenge function and form. The Bocca, a literal representation of a sensual mouth, perfectly illustrates Studio 65’s pop and surrealist approach, which transforms furniture into erotic sculpture. Gufram, a manufacturer specializing in radical furniture, guarantees remarkable craftsmanship thanks to its mastery of expanded polyurethane. This 1971 creation is part of the Italian radical design movement, which has had a lasting influence on contemporary aesthetics. The elastic fabric—a technical innovation of its time—allows for a perfect fit over this complex form while providing unexpected seating comfort. For collectors of Italian design and lovers of conceptual art, this sofa represents an investment in the history of radical design, which revolutionizes our relationship with everyday objects. In the 1930s, Salvador Dalí designed a lip-shaped sofa for patron Edward James, inspired by actress Mae West’s mouth. In 1971, the Turin-based collective Studio 65 revisited the idea for Gufram, giving it Marilyn Monroe’s red lips: the Bocca became one of the icons of radical Italian design. The three-dimensional polyurethane foam and the elastic fabric that conforms to its shape transform a pop image into a comfortable seat. Both a sofa and a sculpture, the Bocca embodies the irreverence of a generation that turned furniture into a manifesto.