A powerful and sculptural example of Brazilian modernism, the “Denúncia” dining table by José Zanine Caldas (1919–2001) embodies the designer’s radical commitment to material truth and environmental consciousness. Created in the 1970s, during the height of his Denúncia movement, this work stands as both functional object and manifesto—an assertion that the tree itself is the primary author of form.
Executed entirely in solid Pequi wood, a species native to Central Brazil known for its density, dramatic grain, and expressive tonal variation, the table reveals Zanine’s signature approach: carving directly from massive timber slabs, split and hollowed to preserve structural integrity while maintaining the organic contour of the trunk. The monumental legs—cut from thick sections of solid wood—retain the tactile evidence of the tree’s natural growth, including knots, fissures, and subtle irregularities. These are not flaws, but declarations—honest markers of origin that define the Denúncia ethos.
A single wooden stretcher connects the sculptural supports, reinforcing both structural clarity and visual tension. The tabletop has been meticulously refinished, allowing the extraordinary grain movement and tonal depth of the Pequi to fully emerge while preserving its authentic character.
Unlike conventional modernist production, Zanine rejected industrial polish in favor of elemental construction. His Denúncia works were conceived as a protest against deforestation and mass fabrication—each piece carved from reclaimed or fallen hardwood, transforming raw material into architectural presence. In this table, brutalist mass meets organic vitality, resulting in a composition that is at once primitive and sophisticated.
More than a dining table, this is a foundational statement in Brazilian design history—an increasingly rare and museum-level example of José Zanine Caldas’ most ideologically significant period.
Provenance available upon request.