As part of its design sale, PIASA auction house proposes, on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the Royal Ice Rink of Brussels, a piece by the designer of Polish origin Jorge Zalszupin.
To escape the catastrophe in which the country in which he was born was falling, Jorge Zalszupin leaves Poland and goes to Romania. There he obtained his degree in architecture at the end of the Second World War. After a short stay in France, he left Europe and set sail for Rio de Janeiro in 1949.
After a difficult start, Jorge Zalszupin found a job in Luciano Korngold's studio in São Paulo where he worked as an assistant architect. Two years later, in 1951, he opened his own practice.
Like most of the architects of his time, most of whom were European refugees, he not only worked on plans for many private houses, but also designed interior decorations and furniture.
The first pieces he designs are presented in a small workshop before being exhibited in a showroom in the heart of Sao Paulo. For several years, the designer will have the opportunity to work closely with the architect Oscar Niemeyer. He will be the author of numerous pieces for his projects in Brasilia, the brand new capital, a world showcase of national modernity.
From the mid-1960s, his furniture was sold under license in the United States and Europe. It was during this period that the designer created this leather-covered concrete dining table. Published by Atelier Moveis, it is offered for sale with an estimate of between 15,000 and 20,000 euros. The simplicity of its structure combined with the balance of its masses gives the piece a rare elegance.
Jorge Zalszupin (born 1922)
Dining table
Leather-clad concrete and painted wood
Atelier Moveis edition (label)
Creation date: 1959-1965
H75×L235×P113cm
The other piece by Jorge Zalszupin is a "Poltrona Ameba" armchair. The chromatic range of the imbuia veneer contrasts harmoniously with the beige of the textile. Also published by the Atelier Moveis, it is estimated at between 8,000 and 12,000 euros.
Jorge Zalszupin (born 1922)
Poltrona Ameba
Armchair
Veneer, imbuia veneer and fabric
Atelier Moveis edition
Creation date: circa 1960-1970
H70×L72×P96cm
In the early 1980s, in a troubled Brazilian political context, Jorge Zalszupin returned to France and settled in Paris, where he began to paint. Still alive, he is one of the last icons of Brazilian modernity.
