Warsaw – São Paulo – Milan

The Brazilian Modernism of Jorge Zalszupin.
Photo: Filippo Bamberghi
Milan, Italy 2026

The exhibition traces a creative journey that began in Warsaw, came to maturity in São Paulo, and enters the international dialogue of design in Milan during Milan Design Week 2026.

The work of Jorge Zalszupin tells one of the most compelling stories of twentieth-century modernism – one that unfolds between Europe and South America, between architecture and furniture design, and between cultural memory and creative reinvention.

Born in Warsaw in 1922, Zalszupin discovered his passion for architecture in a bookshop in the centre of Warsaw, where he first encountered a book of drawings by Le Corbusier – a moment that ultimately shaped his professional path. Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, he and his family fled to Romania, escaping the Holocaust.

After graduating in architecture in Bucharest, he moved to France, where he worked on the reconstruction of Dunkirk. Like many architects of his generation, he eventually sought a new beginning beyond post-war Europe and emigrated to Brazil, settling in São Paulo.

In 1959, Zalszupin founded the design studio and furniture workshop L’Atelier, developing a distinctive language that combined European modernist thinking with the rich materiality and craftsmanship of Brazilian design. During the 1960s he collaborated with leading figures of Brazilian modernism, including Oscar Niemeyer.

Among more than thirty objects on display – from the iconic first Dinamarquesa armchair, through the organic forms of the Pétalas tables, to the minimalist constructions of seating and sofas – the exhibition also presents architectural projects, original sketches, photographs, and the history of the L’Atelier manufactory. It also reveals Zalszupin’s private sphere – his home in São Paulo – portraying him not only as a master of modernism, but also as a devoted husband and father of two daughters.

The first symbolic exhibition dedicated to Zalszupin took place in September 2025 at the headquarters of the Visteria Foundation — the Gawroński Villa in Warsaw – bringing his legacy back to the city where his life began.

Today, the story of the designer’s creative journey resonates during Milan Design Week – hosted in the modernist landmark Torre Velasca, where Zalszupin’s work enters an international dialogue on twentieth–century modernism.

Arch. Maria Murawsky – curator and exhibition designer