Considered today as one of the most renowned Italian designers, Achille Castiglioni is known for his wit, curiosity, practicality, and love for paradoxes, designing and collaborating on almost 150 objects during his career of more than 50 years.
Continuing its commitment to thought-provoking programming and connecting the public with contemporary design, Luminaire presents its latest exhibition in celebration of the 100 year birth anniversary of the Italian master. On Tuesday, June 12 from 6 – 9 pm, Luminaire Chicago will host the opening reception of its exhibition titled Achille Castiglioni 100 that will coincide with NeoCon 2018. In a studio-like setting, the exhibit will explore the designer’s creative process through a series of his most iconic pieces from renowned brands Flos and Zanotta, with accessories from Alessi, all whom still produce a number of his designs today.
Castiglioni took inspiration from everyday objects and “Design demands observation” became one of his many mottos. The standard principles of his practice, “start from scratch, stick to common sense, know your goals and means”, meant that designers should not take current designs for granted, but instead use them as a platform to fully understand the reason behind the development of a new product or evolving an existing design, while staying aware of their resources.
Castiglioni’s work is included in the permanent collections of museums around the world including the MoMA in New York and the V&A in London. He is also the winner of nine Compasso d’Oro awards.
The month-long exhibition will showcase a curated selection of iconic Castiglioni pieces in a studio-like setting, which captures the spirit of his former Milanese studio. Aiming to examine the creative process of his designs, a number of pieces will be deconstructed, in order to reveal the stories behind the experimentation, assembly, and design of the product. Included in the installation is the Arco floor lamp (FLOS – 1962), Taccia table lamp (FLOS – 1962), Mezzadro stool (Zanotta – 1957), Allunaggio stool (Zanotta – 1965) and more, among a range of design-focused glassware and kitchenware from Alessi. The exhibition will also include images and sketches to share the methods behind the featured products.
September 2018
