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One of our favourite enterprising design women in Milan is Francesca Molteni, scion of the Molteni furniture empire and founder of the creative lab Muse Factory of Projects. In addition to her new film on Gio Ponti, which debuts next week at Milan’s Anteo Spazio Cinema, Molteni has just curated 'Il Grande Gioco dell’Industria' ('The Great Industry Game'), an ambitious exhibit dedicated to a cross section of Italy’s most important industries.
From common objects, to small design pieces, to mind-blowing inventions, the exhibit includes 51 items culled from the immense archives of Museimpresa, the Italian Archives and Company Museums Association. The exhibit, which debuted this weel at Spazio Folli, originated with an article that Molteni wrote recently for Il Sole 24 Ore highlighting the most innovative and intriguing objects produced in Italy by Italian companies.
'The goal is to look at new kinds of masterpieces, not just works of art, but works of industry,' Molteni says. '[Those] with an inner beauty and narrative power.'
The exhibit includes such well known pieces as the Campari bottle design by Fortunato Depero, the 'Louis Ghost Chair' designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell and even Barilla’s distinctive blue pasta box. Some of the more obscure pieces include the 'pressa catozzo' – a revolutionary film editing machine designed by award winning Italian film editor Leo Catozzo – and the 'lopamidolo', an important molecule developed by the Bracco pharmaceutical company.
'It’s impossible to talk about all of the objects,' Molteni warns. 'You should really visit the exhibition!'
The installation includes 51 items culled from the immense archives of Museimpresa, the Italian Archives and Company Museums Association. Included is the well known 'Louis Ghost Chair' designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell, pictured
'La Lancia Astura', 1938, from Museo Nicolis dell’Auto, della Tecnica e della Meccanica.
Pictured left: 'L’Intervista', 1988, from the Poltrona Frau Museum. Photography: Gionata Xerra. Right: ceramics from 'La serie Mondrian', 1955, from the Museum Bitossi Artistic Industrial Museum
'La schedina Sisal', 1946, from the Historical Archive of the Sisal Group
Other well-known pieces on show include the Campari bottle design by Fortunato Depero, pictured
'La Vespa', 1946, from Museo e Archivio Storico Piaggio
'L’Invisibile', 1947, from Museo Salvatore Ferragamo
'Il Programma 101', 1965, from Associazione Archivio Storico Olivetti.
'Il Cucciolo', 1946, from Museo Ducati
'The goal is to look at new kinds of masterpieces, not just works of art, but works of industry,' Molteni says
The exhibition includes everything from common objects, to small design pieces, to mind-blowing inventions
Even Barilla's distinctive blue pasta box is on show
'It’s impossible to talk about all of the objects,' Molteni warns. 'You should really visit the exhibition!'
INFORMATION
’Il Grande Gioco dell’Industria’ is on view until 31 October
ADDRESS
Museimpresa
Spazio Folli50.0
via Folli 50
Milano