24+1 Cinema Chairs Project
With the advent of multiplex cinemas, many old theaters—especially the smaller ones—were forced to close their doors. The renovations required to comply with new regulations were too costly, and audiences had become too few.
Very little remains of their memory, apart from, on rare occasions, an old sign still hanging. Of this once-glorious era, now vanished, the only surviving witnesses are the chairs.
Filled with nostalgia, I began my search for these relics so that I could photograph them.
I chose a single background for all the chairs, to give the work visual consistency and to lend dignity even to the less beautiful or more damaged models.
As I went along, I realized that if the chairs had witnessed so many films and the people who had sat in them, it would be both beautiful and meaningful to include a brief written contribution from those who create this magic—the directors.
From them came memories of old theaters, reflections on cinema, and thoughts about what first drew them to directing.
The result is a truly fascinating project that traces a historical period stretching from the 1920s to the 1980s, when the old seats were replaced—mainly for safety reasons—by new, flame-retardant armchairs.
Many directors took part in the project: Marco Bechis, Tinto Brass, Giacomo Campiotti, Francesca Comencini, Vittorio De Seta, Daniele Gaglianone, Marco Tullio Giordana, James Ivory, Stefano Knuchel, Patrice Leconte, Ken Loach, Daniele Luchetti, Carlo Mazzacurati, Mario Monicelli, Giuliano Montaldo, Maurizio Nichetti, Ermanno Olmi, Tommy Pallotta, Rintaro, Marco Risi, Nelo Risi, Ettore Scola, Daniele Segre, Mohamed Soudani, Stefano Terenziani, Carlo Verdone, and Bruce Webb.
The title of the project, 24+1 Cinema Chairs Project, refers to the only director’s chair included in the series—the one belonging to Federico Fellini—photographed on the beach at Fregene, where La Dolce Vita was filmed. This chair serves as a symbolic representation of the directors and of the dreamlike aspect of the entire work.
