“TRÔNES 2” - THE SEAT OF POWER REIMAGINED

At the opening night in Paris, design didn’t just sit quietly—it claimed a throne of its own. Inside 11 rue Las Cases, downtown+ unveiled Trônes 2, an exhibition curated by Luna Laffanour that turns the idea of the throne on its head. Here, power isn’t about dominance—it’s about imagination, emotion, and expression.

Following the success of the first Trônes in 2023, this second chapter dives deeper. It’s a meeting point between past and present, where history and innovation collide in a vivid dialogue of form, texture, and spirit.

From the moment you enter, colour takes over: ultramarine blues, powder pinks, lacquer reds, sunlit terracottas. The atmosphere vibrates with that unique Parisian mix of curiosity and boldness. Chairs and seats stand like characters in conversation—some sculptural and raw, others sleek and refined. Metal melts into fabric, edges turn to curves, and every piece seems alive, challenging the very meaning of what a seat can be.

Laffanour’s sharp curatorial eye gathers legendary names—Gaetano Pesce, Andrea Branzi, Archizoom, Superstudio, Paolo Pallucco—and pairs them with a new generation of thinkers like Leo Orta and Wendy Andreu. Each work carries its own voice: Pesce’s molten resins reject uniformity; Branzi’s structures whisper quiet strength; Andreu builds architecture out of woven lines; Orta injects humour and rebellion, questioning who really holds the power to design—and to rule.

By evening, the space is electric. Collectors, designers, and dreamers fill every corner, their voices and laughter spilling into the garden. Conversations twist through the crowd, sparking ideas and possibilities long after the lights dim.

With Trônes 2, Luna Laffanour and downtown+ don’t just curate an exhibition—they create a moment. It’s a reminder that design is never static. It provokes, surprises, and transforms the ordinary into something powerful. In this gallery, even a chair becomes a declaration: that true power lies not in control, but in creativity.

— SUNA MOYA