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Alessi, a Century-old 'Metallist' Company

Philippe Starck's chair, the never-before-seen 'Tornitore Matto' objects, Virgil Abloh's cutlery and an art multiple created by Dalì in 1973. All seen at Fuorisalone 2023 in the Ars Metallica exhibition, curated by Michele De Lucchi.

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05/05/2023 - Unveiled at Fuorisalone in an exhibition curated by Michele De Lucchi, new Alessi metal objects for the home. Illustrating the ability to use traditional metalworking techniques to create objects for the home as works of art is the aim of 'Ars Metallica', an exhibition celebrating Alessi's centenary, launched during Milan Design Week 2023. Hosted at the historic Palazzo Borromeo d'Adda, designed by Amdl Circle studio, the exhibition showcases the centenary and ‘metallist’ art -  as defined by President Alberto Alessi, the third generation of the family that founded the company in 1921 - of a Made-in-Italy brand that transformed the craft of lathe metalworking into a laboratory of industrial research.

New works by international designers and artists on display: The 'Poêle' chair by Philippe Starck; Alessi metal objects created by nine designers, heralding the birth of the new brand 'Il Tornitore Matto'; Virgil Abloh's cutlery; and 'Obget inutile', the art multiple created by Dali in 1973 and back in production for the first time in 50 years.
Alessi, Fuorisalone. Palazzo Borromeo d'Adda 2Pin it

Alessi, Fuorisalone. Palazzo Borromeo d'Adda

Philippe Starck's Alessi chair, inspired by a frying pan

 Poêle, as its name suggests (from the French 'frying pan'), inspired by the common domestic object,  is the Alessi chair designed by Philippe Starck, the first furnishing project by the brand that has been making objects for the home and kitchen for a century.
 
We met Chairman Alberto Alessi, who described the birth of this unprecedented project, "I asked Philippe Starck to design a chair like a frying pan, with a metal body and a wood handle".
 

 
The Poêle Chair is made using modernised traditional cold-press metal technology dating from the 1950s.
 
"The Poêle Chair started as a serious joke, with a sketch of a pan with legs and the great idea of adapting an existing high technology to different purposes. With the seat and back inspired by a frying pan and legs as handles, the Poêle Chair elegantly incarnates the most beautiful symptoms of human intelligence: humour and technology. Very much like my relationship with Alberto and Alessi", Philippe Starck.
 
The Piedmontese homeware brand's long-held ambition to create a furniture collection has thus become a reality. An important milestone, celebrating 100 years of working with metal and more than 30 years of collaborating with Philippe Starck, a long history of working together on successful projects.
 
"It has always been a dream of mine to enter the world of furniture significantly. Now, with the Poêle Collection and Philippe Starck, we are undertaking a serious trial", Alberto Alessi
Philippe Starck's Alessi chair, 3Pin it

Philippe Starck's Alessi chair,

Alessi home objects as works of art:  Il Tornitore Matto

A group of nine contemporary designers – Giulio Iacchetti, Andrea Branzi, Federico Angi, Michael Anastassiades, Michele De Lucchi, Naoto Fukasawa, Nika Zupanc, Paolo Ulian, Pierre Charpin – has been challenged by Alberto Alessi to use the ancient metal-turning technology that still exists at the Alessi factory to create brand new pieces for the firm's catalogue. Grouped under the title "Il Tornitore Matto" ("The Mad Turner" – a new brand referencing the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland), these nine designers from around the world have been asked to conceive a piece that suggests a container.
 
"While as a company we produce many objects that are essentially containers –  explains Alberto Alessi – I have given these designers the freedom to imagine whatever they want. Most have come back with homeware ideas, but some are closer to artworks".
 
"I have always been fascinated by the lathe. At Alessi, this tool lies at the origin of our trade as metalworkers. In the early 20th century, my grandfather Giovanni was a skilled turner, and until the 1940s, the spin-forming of sheet metal was the typical process at Alessi. Then gradually, spinning was substituted by deep drawing in a horizontal press. At a certain point in my life, I understood that I, too, would like to learn the turner's craft and took lessons from a talented turner named Ivano, the only one still working at the factory. I think the lathe was the first machine ever used by humans to produce objects. I am in awe of the humanising and intimate dimension of this work. Each artisan has a large set of tools to guide the metal disk against the shape, and these tools are made specifically to correspond to each artisan's stature and strength. Anyone else would not be able to use those tools with the same efficacy", Alberto Alessi.
Alessi home objects as works of art:  Il Tornitore Matto 4Pin it

Alessi home objects as works of art: Il Tornitore Matto

Salvador Dalí for Alessi. An archive project from 1973 comes to life

"Obget Inutile" is a never-produced art multiple designed by Salvador Dalí in 1971. Preserved in the Alessi archives, it has been brought back to life half a century later as a limited edition of 99 pieces in silver.
 
In 1970 a young Alberto Alessi joined the family firm, a maker of kitchenware based in Omegna.
 
"My first idea", – recalls Alberto – "was why not use our machines and presses instead of producing boring trays and bowls and wine buckets to produce original art pieces in unlimited numbers. That would be much more interesting. So I decided to start with a collection by some Italian sculptors, including multiples by Giò Pomodoro and Pietro Consagra".
 
After that, Alberto contacted the artist Salvador Dalí, who asked for something to be sent as a point of departure for the project, and Alberto dispatched a large sheet of steel, 3 metres by 1 metre and 1mm thick. When Alberto went to visit the Spaniard at his home in Cadaqués to view the results, he realised that he had folded the sheet and in between the fold was a large metal comb. Onto this were welded salmon fishing hooks, and a wooden clothes peg held together the whole.
Salvador Dalí for Alessi, Milano 5Pin it

Salvador Dalí for Alessi, Milano

"Of course” – says Alessi's President – “I was very young, and I was impressed by the famous Spanish maestro, so I didn't realise until years afterwards that maybe he was joking with us. Now I look at this work and realise it was no joke. Instead, it is a clear interpretation of Alessi's practice of engaging with an artistic mediator".
 
However, Alberto's father was less than impressed with the concept of art multiples. "He made me stop,' remembers Alberto, 'but not before I'd bought 50,000 salmon hooks from a producer in Oslo, Norway!".
 
Now just over 50 years on, Alessi is finally putting Dalí's multiple, titled by the artist as "Obget inutile, vase, sur un problème de topologie negative", into production as a limited edition of 99 pieces in silver.
 

Conversational Objects, the Alessi cutlery set by Virgil Abloh

At Fuorisalone 2023, Alessi presents Conversational Objects, a cutlery set by US designer Virgil Abloh inspired by the Alessi industrial workshop, conceived to stimulate discussion and the forging of relationships during the ritual of the shared meal.
 
The 16-piece set of four knives, forks, spoons and teaspoons is made of matt-finish stainless steel and comes with a matching matt-finish stainless steel cutlery stand that resembles a threaded bolt, capped with a nut. The customer has to put this stand together to reinforce the idea of industrial assembly.
Conversational Objects: series of table tools inspired by the world of the machine shop - Credits Alecio Ferrari 6Pin it

Conversational Objects: series of table tools inspired by the world of the machine shop - Credits Alecio Ferrari

“Obget inutile” 9Pin it

“Obget inutile”

Philippe Starck installation for Alessi, Fuorisalone, Milan 10Pin it

Philippe Starck installation for Alessi, Fuorisalone, Milan

Alessi home objects: Tornitore Matto 11Pin it

Alessi home objects: Tornitore Matto

Alessi, a century-old metalworking company. Fuorisalone, Milan 12Pin it

Alessi, a century-old metalworking company. Fuorisalone, Milan

Il Tornitore Matto 13Pin it

Il Tornitore Matto

Il Tornitore Matto 14Pin it

Il Tornitore Matto

Michael Anastassiades 15Pin it

Michael Anastassiades

Giulio Iacchetti 16Pin it

Giulio Iacchetti

Michele De Lucchi 17Pin it

Michele De Lucchi

Andrea Branzi 18Pin it

Andrea Branzi

Naoto Fukasawa 19Pin it

Naoto Fukasawa

Pierre Charpin 20Pin it

Pierre Charpin

Federico Angi 21Pin it

Federico Angi

Paolo Ulian 22Pin it

Paolo Ulian

Nika Zupanc 23Pin it

Nika Zupanc


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