Mutt
Conceptual piece created by reformulating Marcel Duchamp’s 1917 work “Fontana”. In the ready-made process, a utilitarian piece is used to conceive an artistic one, to which Blanco incorporates a new functional instance: turning it into a seat. In the words of Carlos Espartaco: “Blanco deploys the critical action of two moments. The first is of a linguistic and hygienic order, an intellectual cleanliness, the ready-made aims at a critique of taste; the second is an attack on the notion of a work of art. La fontana (1917) – Silla de Mutt (2005). The fact of choosing an object immersed in the everyday hygiene of the discharge (urinary), inverted in front of its natural position, has a certain similarity in its realization of passage to the univocity of the chair, it has something of a "rendez-vouz", containing an erotic element, a desperate eroticism without any illusion: "deciding that at a future moment (such day, such hour, such minute) I choose a ready made. Then, what counts is the timing, the empty instant..., it is a kind of appointment", as if it were the opposite of a surprise, an encounter with the arid time of indifference."
- Authorship — Ricardo Blanco
- Object Type — Chair
- Material and Technique — Laminated wood, eva foam and metal
- Measurements — 50 x 48 x 75 cm
- Origin — Argentina
- Dating — 2005
- Condition — Original
Ricardo Blanco
TRANSFORMATIVE DESIGN
An emblem of Argentine design, Ricardo Blanco (Buenos Aires, 1940-2017) revolutionized the concept of furniture with his playful and conceptual approach. He began his career as an architect at the University of Buenos Aires and continued as a designer from the sixties until he established himself as an undisputed figure in Argentine design.
He was a member of the National Academy of Fine Arts, where he made publications that promoted design as a major art form. He was also the curator of the design collection that is part of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires.
He transcended the borders of the country, projecting his creativity in pieces like the iconic Placa chair, which is part of the collection of the LACMA museum (Los Angeles) and MoMA (New York). His work is currently included in public and private collections such as the IDA Foundation, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, among others.
His work extended design beyond the utilitarian, venturing into utilitarian sculpture and conceptual design. Blanco not only left a legacy of innovation with his works but also through his educational and cultural commitment, sharing his knowledge as a teacher and curator, and contributing significantly to the training of future generations of designers in Argentina and Latin America.
