As the name suggests Studio 65 was founded in 1965 by the two architecture students Franco Audrito and Piero Gatti. The studio was started in opposition to the, in Italy, reigning International Modern Style. Five years later, in 1970, Studio 65 was commissioned to design the interior for a fitness center in Milan. Franco Audrito wanted to create a “Temple of Beauty” and came to think of a sculpture made by Salvador Dalì in 1930.

The Dalì Lip Sofa, based on a picture of Mae West’s lips that the artist found in a magazine, was commissioned by the artist’s British patron Edward James. This sofa is now part of the collection at the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam.

Mr Audrito decided to make an homage to Dalì but based the lips on a more contemporary actor, Marilyn Monroe, and originally the sofa was named Marilyn. The name might also have been chosen as a tribute to the owner of the fitness center, Marilyn Garosci. Later the sofa was renamed Bocca meaning mouth in Italian.

The Bocca Sofa is manufactured by the Italian company Gufram famous for blurring the lines between furniture and art.

Product information

The size 40x50 cm (approx 16x20”) are signed and printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White 310g archival paper and are sold in a limited edition of 50 prints.

The size 30x40 cm (approx 12x16”) are printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art Studio Enhanced 210g archival paper.