Over the decades Laffounour / Downtown Gallery has showcased the work of 20th modernist architects and has gained worldwide recognition for its exhibition of Prouvé, Perriand, and Jeanneret. This year, the legendary Parisian rive-gauche gallerist decided with Luna Laffanour to bring together pieces from the gallery’s collection and also work on the young contemporary designer’s scene. For this first exhibition, Downtown+ worked with curator Romain Bitton to showcase Trônes, mixing design pieces and paintings by Tim Wilson, a contemporary New York-based artist.

Trônes presents a selection of sculptural seats from the 1950s to the present and a series of paintings featuring interiors. All kinds of thrones will be shown, from where we sit to eat, discuss, and relax to where we lounge and others where we create. Each seat with its sculptural form has its own history and character and will explore the notion of the throne whether they are majestic, functional, sacred, or utilitarian. Unexpected encounters will happen in this exhibition from Charlotte Perriand’s chairs placed next to Japanese architect Junya Shigami, Leo Orta’s creations dialogue with a bench by Fouillen and Ellen Pong and Aleksandr Delev’s seats complement a sofa by Chinese architect and interior designer Hoi Chan Kwok.

If exhibiting these pieces of furniture underlines their sacred dimension, their display in formerly inhabited places sends them back to their original function and raises questions about useful objects or works of art. This is the challenge of Trônes which will take place in a beautiful space at 72, rue de L’Université in Paris from May 31 to June 3.

Check out some of the pieces below: