'Illusory Objects' by Virzi + Bortolini bridge contemporary design with the ancient

In the rarefied world of furniture design, all perspectives—minimal or idiosyncratic—find a niche. Furniture is no more a mere frame of pure function—it is rather an expression—almost akin to a garment that envelops you, an augmentation of your persona. It could be muted or flamboyant, toneless or vibrant, linear or serpentine, and in this case, it can even time travel! From the lavish palaces of Egyptian pharaohs, these Illusory Objects trickle into the contemporary design realm—resurrecting in a new era to surprise and captivate.

Furniture and objects design studio Virzi + Bortolini’s ongoing collection called Illusory Objects injects Egyptian culture and regency design with a modern spin. The ensemble will conclude in December 2023, with 10 unique pieces that look to the past—from the first tribes and the culture of the great Pharaohs to the Egyptian revival during the Napoleonic times, as well as the Golden Age—for inspiration. The collection rekindles the relationship between local craftsmen and their nearly forgotten talents. Mostly made out of recycled metals and centuries-old wood (that are wasted by many industries or come simply from demolition sites), each design is singular as a work of art.

Bianca Bortolini and Marcella Virzi, the co-founders of the studio, highlight an 'intent on creating a small revolution in the rarified world of furniture and object design' with Illusory Objects. Expounding on their creative process, the product designers share, “The approach is exciting as we find ourselves more drawn to questioning boundaries between aesthetic genres, than reinforcing those distinctions in purist form.”

Bortolini, with a Master’s degree in renovations of ruins and Virzi, with her deep connections to ancient cultures, combined their similar passions into the Illusory Objects within the Virzi + Bortolini company. Building on their diverse backgrounds in architecture, fashion design and jewellery design, their functional creations showcase a distinctive aesthetic and creativity. Apart from their staunch commitment to pushing the boundaries of materials and techniques, their projects reinforce sustainability in tandem. The designers do so, not by creating new materials or using sustainable ones, but by approaching the ones that already exist in the world in unique ways.

“Creating either from past centuries' pieces or existing materials such as marble, brass and others that are already here, is a solid way and interesting approach to talk about what is sustainable and how we, as designers, cement our ideas within,” the furniture designers elaborate on their creative approach.

According to Virzi + Bortolini, there is no cohesive collection of objects and styles found in antique shops—every piece they sourced and found embarks on individualistic and different journeys, culminating as part of this distinctive serial number and limited collection in the end. Illusory Objects, consisting of chair designs, a stool design, a side table, and elegant fruit bowls, amalgamate original ideas into these materials, giving them new forms from the design elements extracted from ancient thought and aesthetics, as well as the spiritual, invisible form of its attributes. The designers look at past furniture, their status in society, the meaning and purpose of each creation, and the craftsmanship employed to create it, and interweave them into fresh compositions. This process culminates into timeless pieces that embody exclusivity and individuality.

Produced in Porto, Portugal, the process of creating these entities remains quite special. It begins with carefully choosing the antique pieces and then designing a new meaning and purpose around them, to bring the collection to life. A bronze sculpture of a lion’s limbs and paws morphs into the stool's legs; the original 'Louis XV' seat rests on new bronze feet, and an old wooden chest is carved into a serpentine chair. Closely watched by the designers, the production of all these handmade pieces took place under the supervision and guidance of small producers working with brass and bronze and specialising in chiselling techniques.

“We meticulously cared for and pushed boundaries to achieve visually stunning and functional creations. It was challenging to work with 17th-18th century wood (like the original 'Louis XV' chair) and carefully applying and combining the metals on the antiques by achieving the new designs,” Bortolini and Virzi share.

Together, Bortolini and Virzi bring to life the ancient—its nostalgia and history. They do so with due respect to what the object used to be, while looking forward to its numerous possibilities now—giving something once old, a chance to persevere. They aspire to make a lasting impact on the design world by seamlessly bridging the gap between art and design, and experimenting with innovative methods and materials that enliven dying design techniques while defying traditional norms. Aptly describing their creative ethos, the designers relay, “With a new movement that challenges conventional notions and blurs the boundaries between the two fields, the pursuit of originality, quality, and innovation cements our philosophy.”