There are certain subjects that Francesco Binfaré needs to be nudged towards. Otherwise, he would prefer to talk about other things. Of course, if you ask him, he answers. He welcomes the invitation: ‘Eros is an essential component of sofas.’ The message is clear. Immediate. Direct. But Binfaré’s words and works have compartments inside them, sheltered corners, sanctuaries. There’s nothing that he wants to hide. If anything, they can sense those who appreciate hospitality. For example, Binfaré says that his sofas immediately resonate ‘with those who experience a certain facet of the idea on the physical ground.’ Because they strike a surprising chord with those with ‘a more instinctive judgement’. And then he lingers on the word released from its sanctuary: eros. Binfaré uses it, but immediately afterwards dismisses any suggestion of cheap thrills. ‘It’s the right term from a semantic point of view.

A sofa is made for living, it has no operational functions related to work. Not even at rest. It welcomes the multiplicity of moments that have to do with life. Here is eros.

But, from a communication point of view, it can be misleading, because there is a risk that it will be associated with sexuality and nothing else. Instead, eros should be understood as an affirmation of life, as the generator of energy, of vibrations.’ Binfaré’s work is a play on quotations, hints, suggestions and whispers. ‘The shape of my sofas has this component. A certain eroticism, or a kind of living beauty. When I’m designing I don’t look for all that. I don’t think about it. But every time I look at my work, I find it there. It’s an inherent trait. Some designers have it and others don’t.’ Nothing baroque, no feathers or lace. ‘A sofa is made for living on,’ he explains, ‘it has no work-related functions. Not even when resting. It embraces the multitude of movements connected with life. That’s eros. But be careful: this trait shouldn’t be immediately recognisable. The more it is, the less it works, the less it exists. Because it borders on product pornography. It should be a sophisticated dance of veils.’ For confirmation of this, just look through the pages of the Edra catalogue, reliable witnesses of the messages encapsulated in Binfaré’s sofas. The work that best represents this ‘intrinsic trait’ is the Flap sofa. ‘Its shape is simple, with no frills. It immediately communicates this life-affirming response.’ While Standard is more modest. ‘The eros component is there and it’s strong. But it can blend in with the other dimensions. Standard belongs to a shared-living model, with modular variations that are not harsh, with no obvious innovation.’ It goes without saying that ‘L’Homme et la Femme’ is an erotic gesture in itself. ‘It was the first model I proposed to Edra. It is intended as a couple’s sofa. According to the classical, centuries-old type of seating, there was an armchair for him and a sofa for her. I wanted a fusion of the two people and their reciprocal movements.

The vital energy does not emerge from what sofas do, but from what they are. And I think that the ability to read all this belongs to the field of instinct.

The modules had to combine in different ways, like two lovers, but also as two individuals talking to each other. It had to be a performance designed from the theatrical and not commercial point of view. It is not only a physical representation of moods, but also a mental one. The chemistry and dynamics that develop in couples, in all kinds of couples. The strength of the sofa is its ability to express a mood or situation. ‘L’Homme et la Femme’ is theatre, a touring installation, which unleashes vital vibrations.’ When all the drawers have been opened, Binfaré’s observations appear in their essential position. Which has always been the same. It has never changed. ‘The vital energy doesn’t come from what sofas do, but from what they are. There is a complicated communication path. There’s softness. There is a balance that allows the eros to be recognised. And I think that the ability to read all this belongs within the realm of instinct.’

Giampaolo Grassi Parliamentary reporter for the Italian Press Agency Ansa. Before taking an interest in politics, he was in charge of legal news in Florence and fi nancial news in Milan.