alessi at neue sammlung munich

alessi: oggetti e progetti (objects and projects) die neue sammlung / the international design museum, munich may 22nd until mid september 2010

aldo rossi, drawing for espresso coffee maker ‘la cornica’: the return from school, 1984 image courtesy neue sammlung

renowned designer alessandro mendini is curating and designing a retrospective of the last 30 years of italian design for the international design museum in munich. the focus of the exhibition will be italian company alessi, which started out as a small metal-working firm and has grown into a creative factory in the field of design with global operations.

a critical reflection of alessi, for this exhibition, mendini brings our attention to the design traditions of the company – which extend from the ‘bombé’ tea and coffee set of the immediate post-war period via the ‘bel design’ of the 1950s and 1960s, and post-modernism through to the contemporary pluralist design – highlighting the development of design in italy. his conception, not only addresses the company’s earlier projects, but also looks at the radical changes of the company today. the exhibition deals with general design strategies and approaches adopted in current design such as sustainability, energy balance, recycling, technology and production process etc. as well as aspects related to the cultural dynamism between east and west, and the altered aesthetics of a globalized world.

aldo rossi, espresso coffee maker ‘la cupola’ (sketch), 1985 image courtesy neue sammlung

michael graves, teapot nr. 9093, 1985 image courtesy neue sammlung

michael graves, drawing of teapot nr. 9093 for alberto alessi, christmas, 1995 image courtesy neue sammlung

richard sapper, espresso coffee maker, 1978 image courtesy neue sammlung

richard sapper, espresso coffee maker (sketch), 1978 image courtesy neue sammlung

richard sapper, espresso coffee maker (wooden models), 1978 image courtesy neue sammlung

kazuyo sejima and rue nishizawa, SANAA, design for a set – project ‘tea and coffee towers’, 2003 image courtesy neue sammlung

kazuyo sejima and rue nishizawa, SANAA, design for a set – project ‘tea and coffee towers’, 2003 image courtesy neue sammlung

juan navarro baldeweg, sketch for a set, project ‘tea and coffee towers’, 2003 image courtesy neue sammlung

ufficio tecnico alessi, fruit basket nr. 370, 1952 image courtesy neue sammlung

riccardo dalisi, project ‘ricerca napoletana’ image courtesy neue sammlung