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Gio Ponti Archi-Designer Press Graphic design: BETC and Italo Lupi Photo credits: © Gio Ponti Archives; Editoriale Domus S.p.A., all rights reserved; Paris, MAD, photo Jean Tholance; Francesco Radino; Courtesy Wright Auctions; Associazione Amici di Doccia / Arrigo Coppitz; Vincent Thibert 19 Oct 2018 — 05 May 2019 #TuttoPonti_MAD Tutto Ponti Tutto archi-designer Gio Ponti Gio Ponti Press kit Press – Contents → Press release → About the catalogue → Excerpts from the catalogue Olivier Gabet Salvatore Licitra Sophie Bouilhet-Dumas → Exhibition design → Sponsors and partners → Additional photographs → Activities for the public → Useful information Press release – Considered one of the most influential architects and designers of the twentieth century, Gio Ponti (1891-1979) will be honored at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in his first retrospective in France from October 19th, 2018 to May 5th, 2019. A prolific creator who was equally interested in both industrial and craft production, Ponti revolutionized post-war architecture, opening up the way for a new art of living. The exhibition Tutto Ponti: Gio Ponti, Archi-Designer, presented in the museum’s main hall, 1. Gio Ponti and Giulia covers the entirety of his long career Ponti, Via Dezza, 1957 from 1921 to 1978, highlighting numerous © Gio Ponti Archives aspects of his work from architecture to industrial design, from furniture 2. Tarento Cathedral — to lighting, and from the creation of PRESS KIT 1964-1970 journals to his incursion into the fields © Luca Massari of glassware, ceramics and metalwork. 2. Over 400 pieces, some of which have never left their place of origin, trace this multidisciplinary display that combines architecture, furniture and interior fittings for private homes and public buildings (universities and cathedrals). The exhibition design was conceived by the agency Wilmotte & Associés in collaboration with the graphic designer Italo Lupi. While Gio Ponti’s work is admired today by enlightened design enthusiasts and highly coveted by collectors, it nevertheless remains little known in France. This exhibition is an opportunity to introduce the wider public to the creative world of this mythical character from the Italian design scene, whose generosity and passion stimulated his contemporaries and continues to inspire new generations of designers and architects. — 1. Having received his diploma from the Milan Polytechnic, Gio Ponti opened his architecture practice in 1921. In the beginning, he adopted the principles of classically inspired architecture with his villa on the Via Randaccio in Milan. Named artistic director of the Richard- Ginori porcelain manufactory in 1923, he re-evaluated its serial production system, applying his method to all of the company’s creations. His works of neoclassical inspiration were awarded prizes at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925. The following year, he designed his first architectural work abroad, the Ange volant villa in the Parisian aera, France, and collaborated with Christofle in Paris and Venini in Murano. In parallel, Gio Ponti created a series of modestly priced 3. Parco dei principi furniture with simple forms, called La Hotel — Rinascente, for the Italian department Sorrente stores, thereby making the decorative 1960 arts accessible to the greatest number. © Gio Ponti Archives Thanks to his connections with the movement Labirinto which gathered 4. Passeggiata designers and manufacturers, he was 4. archeologica — able to spread his ideas and promote urn with lid, new talents thanks to the exhibitions that In the 1930s, his architectural practice porcelain he organized at the Monza Biennial, and took a modernist turn with the Produced by Richard especially through the journal Domus, construction of Case Tipiche and the Ginori which he founded in 1928. offices for the company Montecatini PRESS KIT in Milan. Among his work in the field of homewares, he designed lighting for Fontana Arte, silverware for Krupp, fabrics for De Angeli-Frua and Ferrari and furniture for Casa e Giardino. In the 1940s, Gio Ponti turned his attention to creating monumental frescos at the University of Padua’s Palazzo del Bo. He also returned to oil painting, and to his passion for writing, opera and the cinema, creating new screenplays as well as sets and costumes for la Scala in Milan. At the end of the war, as a major protagonist for the “made in Italy” movement, he promoted Italian design abroad through his journal Domus and the exhibitions he organized. He also conceived of two emblematic objects: the aerodynamic coffee machine La Cornuta (1949) for Pavoni and the Leggera chair for Cassina. 3. 16/04/2018 Domus - n° 448 From 1950 to 1960, at the peak of his career, Gio Ponti’s style reached a wider international audience with major private architectural commissions in Venezuela, the United States, the Middle East and even Hong Kong. He created two of his masterpieces during this period: Villa Planchart in Caracas and the Pirelli Tower in Milan. Lightness, transparence, clarity, color and simplicity: these are the key words that describe the profusion of activity coming out of his headquarters in Milan – a veritable creative laboratory. He designed numerous objects and furniture pieces at this time, including the Distex armchair for Cassina (reissued since 2012 by Molteni&C) and his luminous Printed by composition for Lumi. In 1957, the chair 6. Superleggera (a variant of the Leggera), one of the lightest in the world, became In the 1970s, still seeking transparence the icon of his furniture designs. http://domus.immanens.com/it/pvPrintWLI.asp?skin=dom&publication=001001&issue=448&page=1&choice=1and lightness, he envisaged his 1/1 architectural façades as if they were Gio Ponti was particularly interested in the folded pieces of paper pierced with 5. Superleggera chair interplay between surfaces and colors, geometric forms, as in the Taranto for Cassina & Giordano and worked towards making walls into Cathedral (1970) and the Denver Art Chiesa Office elements that are no longer load bearing, Museum (1974). He also took a new 1957 & 1953 but rather elevated, ethereal and almost approach to furniture design, which © Gio Ponti Archives suspended. He favored ceramic wall became more flexible, mobile, light and coverings that capture and reflect the luminous in order to adapt the space 6. Magazine cover light, as in the hotel Parco dei Principi to contemporary lifestyles. PRESS KIT Domus n°448 — in Sorrento. march 1967 The exhibition Tutto Ponti: Gio Ponti, Archi-Designer presents a chronological view of Ponti’s six-decade career in the fields of architecture, design, interior design and publishing. An evocation of the Taranto Cathedral, one of his late masterpieces, introduces the circuit that then unfolds in three parts, focusing on objects, furniture and architecture. Finally, six “period rooms” conclude the visit with spectacular reconstructions emphasizing the global aspect of his work. The garden- side gallery explores the collaborations that he undertook with major art-object manufacturers such as Richard Ginori, Christofle and Fontana Arte, as well as with artisans and smaller companies. Ceramics, glass and metalwork intermingle with works in papier mâché and enameled copper. 5. The main hall – the backbone of the exhibition – is punctuated by five 7. Tableware — sections featuring major commissions, Produced by furniture, lighting and textiles, as well Franco Pozzi as architectural projects detailed 1967 chronologically through drawings, Marco Arosio Collection models, photographs and films from the period. Finally, on the Rivoli side, six 8. Aero teapot — unique spaces have been conceived, 1957 each representing a decade, in order to Christofle, Paris highlight Ponti’s creations: l’Ange volant Christofle Collection in the Parisian aera, the Montecatini building in Milan, the palazzo Bo - Padua 9. Pirelli tower — University, Gio Ponti’s home on the via Milan Dezza in Milan, the interior of the Parco 1960 dei Principi hotel in Sorrento and finally © DR the Villa Planchart in Caracas. PRESS KIT 7. 9. Until the very end, Gio Ponti defended his notion of an “Italian house”, considered to be the ultimate expression of an authentic modern and international civilization. The expression “from the spoon to the city”, attributed to the Italian architect Ernesto Nathan Rogers (1909-1969) in reference to Gio Ponti, perfectly embodies the personality of the Milanese architect, whose projects could range from the infinitely small to the infinitely large. This catchphrase sums up the breadth of 8. Ponti’s field of exploration, through which richness and originality remained constant in his joyful, colorful and very personal work. About the catalogue – THE BOOK This book covers the entirety of Ponti’s long career, from the 1920s to the late 1970s. Private, public and religious architecture, furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics, metalwork, textiles: it explores every domain to which he applied his talents. Though his practice was primarily based out of Milan, where he built the iconic Pirelli Tower, Gio Ponti was also solicited by clients from New York, South America and Pakistan, among others, for PRESS KIT the design of sumptuous villas and official buildings. THE AUTHORS This book serves as both the catalogue for the exhibition presented at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the first reference Under the direction of book on Gio Ponti to be published in Sophie Bouilhet-Dumas, French. It pays tribute to the creative Dominique Forest and Salvatore Licitra. universe of this legendary character About thirty French and international from the Italian design scene, whose authors contributed to this work. generosity and enthusiasm stimulated his contemporaries and continue to 320 pages inspire new generations of designers and Format: 23 x 31.5 cm architects. Hardcover Approx. 300 illustrations 55 euros ISBN: 978-2-916914-75-6 Published by MAD On sale from: October 19th, 2018 Excerpts from the catalogue – Foreword by Olivier Gabet From the forest of possible choices for some exhibitions, paying tribute this 10. Gio Ponti and his autumn 2018 to Gio Ponti, seemed the daughter Lisa at the most obvious one.
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