By John Henke & Photos by Janine MenloveDAADS breaks with tradition and presents "Italian by Design"- an exhibit of 20th century decorative art pieces from pre-emininent Italian designers like Ettore Sottsass, Gio Ponti, Piero Fornasetti, the Castigilioni brothers, Michele DeLucchi, Alessandro Mendini, Emilio Pucci, and Gae Aulenti.
Our intention with the exhibit is to expose our members and the public to an area of design which represents to many the pinnacle of avant-garde design since World War II. After the fall of Mussolini it was the Italians who became the innovative contributors to worldwide design in all areas of the decorative arts-furniture, lighting, ceramics, and household goods, not to mention fashion and cars. While Charles Eames was finding new ways to bend plywood into furniture, the Italians were experimenting with new materials like plastics and laminates, and with different uses for traditional materials like steel, aluminum and rubber.
Our exhibit is not meant to be a comprehensive review of Italian design, but to present to you works we consider important in their use of materials, their influence on the world, and on the world's view of design.The exhibit does represent the bias of its contributors. Considered by many, including me, to be the patriarch of 20th century Italian design, the works of Ettore Sottsass are, probably to the chagrin of some, well represented. While best known as the founder of Memphis in 1981, Sottsass began designing commercially in the 50s for Olivetti and Raymor and worked for a short time in the Office of George Nelson. We are fortunate to show some of his earliest lighting designs for Arredoluce, early ceramics, and furniture for Poltronova (the red umbrella stand c. 1962) and Alchimia (Le Strutture Tremano - high side table c. 1979), from which the influence for Memphis designs of the 1980s is plainly seen.
In some instances the pieces shown are the quintessential work of the designer, such as the Memphis lighting designs of Sottsass and DeLucchi, Fornasetti's screen (c. 1951), the Colombo cart, and the Pucci dress.
Where possible (i.e. where we knew someone with a great piece or pieces), the exhibit contains earlier and we hope to many lesser known works like Gio Ponti's aluminum office armchair (c. 1937) from the Montecatini Aluminum factory, Ponti's first commercial commission; the "Easy Living Series" ceramics and furniture by Alessandro Mendini; the "Mies" prototype lounge chair from Archizoom, the radical design group of the early 70's which defies its user with its Pirelli rubber sling, and Gaetano Pesce's Fish designs that literally twist the traditional notions for the use of resin plastics, and the aluminum umbrella stand designed by Sottsass in 1954 at the request of Raymor for sale in the United States. One of several decorative home accessories intended by Raymor to bring Italian design to the US, the aluminum pieces included vases, magazine stands, and small tables. They were produced for only two years, and a commercial failure. It is one of the earliest production designs of Sottsass.
At the other of the spectrum are the likes of Michele Delucchi's First chair (shown on the front cover), which became the 80's equivalent of Eames potato chip chair (the LCW), Gae Aulenti's glass coffee table (it's the one on the big caster wheels) in continuous production since she designed it for Fontana Arte in 1980, and the Castiglioni's Taccia table lamp manufactured by Flos since its design in 1962.
Ceramics include rare pieces of Gambone and Fantoni, Sottsass and Mendini, and the plastic contemporary works of Gaetano Pesce.
To ensure that the fashion fanaticas aren't ignored we give them the bold and bright designs of Emilio Pucci next to a Vespa motor scooter ala "Roman Holiday."
Whether loved or hated the Italians have always driven the boundries of design. We hope this exhibit drives and inspires you beyond your design boundries in some small way. Thank you to all our contributors, to Mike Ralphs, for his wealth of knowledge on radical Italian design and to the people who constantly inspire me - my wife Leslie, Tom Verwest, Johanna Grawunder, and last but certainly not least Ettore Sottsass. Ciao.
