With 'Merge', Duplex's Patrizio Chiarparini Flexes His Eye for Spotting Where Art and Function Meet

For Patrizio Chiarparini, Duplex began as a passion project in 2015 to showcase exemplary pieces of Italian design—contemporary and vintage alike—from brands whose U.S. reach was undeservedly lacking. Starting off as a digital business, it soon acquired a brick-and-mortar presence with a by-appointment gallery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with exclusive offerings like a Faye Toogood Roly Poly customized with Casentino wool cushions, a custom Julep sofa designed by Jonas Wagell with mohair upholstery by Raf Simons, and the Gold Bliss collection by Mae Engelgeer for cc-tapis. Then came the exhibitions, a natural extension of the relationships with the valued collaborators whose presence at the gallery has made it worthy of a pilgrimage for anyone on the hunt for original design. The characterization certainly rings true for Chiarparini’s latest show with Tuscan artist and designer Duccio Maria Gambi titled Merge. 

The presentation is a display of Gambi’s cross-disciplinary ability to straddle the realms of art and function. For instance, his Tempore collection of rugs, designed for cc-tapis and fashioned in Nepal by Tibetan artisans, blurs the line between textile art and home decor object. On closer inspection, the granite sculptures reveal themselves to be pieces from his Zuperfici collection of imposing side tables and vases. The engraved Calacatta marble sculptures belong to the Incal line, a custom collaboration between Gambi and Chiarparini exclusively available at Duplex. Notable for its irregular form marked by engraving lines and exposures of raw stone, the monolithic Lighting Sculpture is described as a contemporary ruin that returns the marble block to its natural state

Though their origins are disparate, the pieces  achieve visual harmony thanks to another one of Gambi’s obsessions: materiality. “​​All intersect at the point of exploring nature versus creation,” says Chiarparini. “Each collection offers a different perspective on utility and art all while communicating that a balance and peace is possible between the two.”

More than anything, the exhibition is a showcase for Gambi’s multidisciplinary skillset, honed over years spent working across art, fashion, and bespoke design in Paris, Rotterdam, and Florence where his atelier currently resides. His most pronounced accolade might just be the spirit of levity he infuses within his work, Chiaparini says. “Perhaps because of the pandemic or the current political turmoil, Duplex was attracted to the jovial energy each piece exuded. Merge exposes the colorful beauty and irreverent sophistication of Duccio’s work. It’s a sanctimonious space filled with play and joy.”