Alessandro Mendini (1931-2019)

“I like irony, I like to play a game, I like to stay far away from rhetoric: that’s the reason why I let the objects I design express all these ideas, turning them into a sort of toy you can use even though you’ve grown up.” Alessandro Mendini, Italian designer and architect

Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/33ffb628-4ab6-4810-8478-12bc1e210b3aby Atelier Mendini

About his life

Alessandro Mendiniwas born in Milan in1931. Anarchitect,designer,journalist, andpublisher, Mendini has helped establish, via his numerous works in equally numerous fields, the Italian design sensibility on an international scale—with a particular focus onneo-modern,avant-garde sensibilities, as well as creating a cross-over betweenart,designandarchitecture.

Alessandro Mendini with Amuleto Lamp for Ramun

Image source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alessandro_Mendini#/media/File:Amuleto_RAMUN.jpg

Mendini’s work encompasses, among others, the fields ofgraphics,furniture,interiors,architecture,stage design,writing, andpainting; he acted as the publisher of the popular magazinesCasabella(1970-76),Modo,andDomus(each1979-85) as well. In1979, he joinedEttore SottsassandMichele De Lucchias a partner atStudio Alchimiabefore he cofoundedDomus Academyin1982.

Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/c9cf2a0f-ac38-4d35-ac75-32a507e66688byRob de Vries,

What are the main features of Mendini’s style?

Alessandro Mendini’s work can be safely categorized as contemporary, in small part due to its use ofbright colorsandnon-traditional shapes, meant as an exploration of how one discipline can be affected by another.

亚历山德罗Mendini系列的小型armchai普鲁斯特r — Miniature of Alessandro Mendini’s “Proust” armchair

Image source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/d4f53a42-4d64-46d6-b0cb-2147c0f71916byrrenzoo

Much of Mendini’s artistic approach is aimed at injectingnew meaningornew perspectiveinto everyday objects, such as furniture or homewares, a method that the Italian artist refers to as “re-design”, which was a notable departure from classic Italian styles at the time; due to this, Mendini is often credited with helping reform the Italian art, design and architecture movements in the1980s.

Mendini designs for Alessi — Alessandro Mendini for Alessi, 2003

Images source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alessandro_mendini_per_alessi_spa.,_cavatappi_alessandro_m._e_anna_g.,_2003.jpg

Exposition “Mondo Mendini” Groninger Museum

Images source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/5a4b6bfe-3186-4493-8e66-5dad292d998ebyRob de Vries,

Alessandro Mendini for Zabro-Zanotta,1984. Chair and table. — Alessandro Mendini for Zabro-Zanotta,1984. Chair and table- Triennale Design Museum

Images source:https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/d465f71f-ba4c-4514-a796-77b5240a5dccbySailko

Selected works and projects

Triennale di Milano – Branch in Incheon (Korea), 2009
Byblos Art Hotel-Villa Amistà, Verona (Italy), 2005
Swimming and sports centre, Trieste (Italy), 2004
Galleria Mendini, Lörrach (Germany), 2004
Dinosaur – Dinosaur Museum, Katsuyama (Japan), 2000
Naples metro system – Santa Rosa/Materdei/Università stations, Naples (Italy), 2000-2009
Town Hall – redevelopment of the grounds, Naples (Italy), 1999
Luxo – Stardust, 1998
Fondazione Maghetti – redevelopment of a district in Lugano (Switzerland), 1998
Complex in Via della Bicchieraia, Arezzo (Italy), 1997
Alessi – Anna G collection, 1994-2004
Alessi offices, Omegna (Italy), 1993
公共汽车站汉诺威- Steintor停止,汉诺威(德语y), 1992
Swatch (Spiritello, Cosmesis, Metroscape, Lots of Dots, Olimpico), 1990-1994
Paradise Tower, Hiroshima (Japan), 1988
Groninger Museum, Groninger (The Netherlands), 1988-1994
Clock Tower, Gibellina (Italy), 1987
Banal Object, Biennale di Venezia, 1980
Proust armchair, 1978
Kandissi sofa, 1978