Sottsass Exhibition at ICA Miami

Wonderful Ettore Sottsass exhibition at the ICA Miami “Ettore Sottsass and the Social Factory” which surveys Ettore’s work focusing on his monumental furniture, ceramics, photography and speculative drawings. Very strong, tightly focused exhibition on this maestro. Exhibition closes October 6.

Rietveld Cabinet 2000
Extremely rare door 1960’s
Grey Furniture 1960’s
Grey furniture 1960’s
Memphis 1980’s

Sottsass Glass Exhibition

The next segment of the exhibition series Le Stanze del Vetro is on at the Fondazione Cini in Venice from the 10th April to the 30th July 2017. It is an exhibition of  Ettore Sottsass glass. Overseen by Luca Massimo Barbero (director of the Institute of Art History at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini), Ettore Sottsass: il vetro is the centennial celebration of the birth of this iconic Italian architect.

The exhibition display by Annabelle Selldorf has over 200 different pieces, all designed between 1947 and 2007. A wide selection comes from the Ernest Mourmans collection and some are exhibited for the first time in history, exactly like the sculptures which flank the staircase, made in 1999 for Qatar Sheikh Saud bin Muhammad Al Thani. One-off pieces and real works of art in glass and crystal, made for some of the most important glass manufacturers in Italy and around the world. There’re collections for Vistosi, sculptures by Toso Vetri d’Arte, iconic lamps designed in the eighties for Venini, as well as pieces made for experimental glass workshop Cirva di Marsiglia, namely just some of the brands which can claim to have worked with Ettore. And obviously, this exhibition couldn’t be complete without designs for top brands like Baccarat, Alessi, Egizia, Fontanarte, Swarovksi and Serafino Zani for whom Ettore experimented in cut glass.

Without a doubt, Ettore Sottsass: il vetro is a really unique experience (the first time an exhibition focuses entirely on Ettore Sottsass’ glass designs). Ettore’s glass designs “are more like real characters”, in fact like exhibition curator Luca Massimo Barbero points out  “they are about the real world as much as an imaginary one”. Plus, glass skilfully moulded with other materials like plastics or polycarbonate turns into art which looks to the future.

 

Where: Fondazione Cini, Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, Italy

When: 10 April – 30 July 2017

 

Sottsass Shiva Vase

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Artcurial auction house in Paris is selling this Sottsass Shiva plate at it’s “Design Masterpieces” Auction on October 27th, 2015. Every lot in this sale is quite rare, this Sottsass ceramic is one of my favorites. This ceramic is estimated to sell for 35,000-45,000 Euros.

Mendini Proust Chair sells at Quittenbaum

 ‘Poltrona de Proust’, 1978

Artist:
Mendini, Alessandro
Manufacturer:
Studio Alessandro Mendini, Mailand
Estimate:
35000 – 40000 €
Award:
30000 €
Lot:
116A 45
Dimensions: H. 108x 93,5 x 85 cm.
Number of Parts: 1
Description: Alessandro Mendini. Unique ‘Poltrona di Proust’ chair, 1978. H. 108 x 93.5 x 85 cm. Made by Studio Alessandro Mendini, Milan, in 1996. Wooden construction, carved and handpainted. Fabric also handpainted. Inscribed: A. Mendini 96.Italian Furniture Design, S. 63f; Repertorio 1950-2000, Bd. 1, S. 261; 100 Masterpieces, S. 192f.The Chair has been handpainted by Alessandro’s daughter, Claudia Mendini, at the Mendini studio. A tear of 10 cm in the fabric to the back of the chair. The tear can be restored by Studio Mendini by request at the consignor’s expenses.

Chapter:
Design Italy