This year, those of you who are in love with Italian design and are planning to spend the winter holidays in New York city can enjoy the event Italian Design Street Walking organised to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Salone del Mobile, Milan’s famous furniture fair.
This extraordinary six weeks self-guided tour of Italian Design featuring promotions and special events by 20 of the leading Italian Furniture and Lighting showrooms includes famous names such as Artemide, Flos, Fontana Arte, Flou, Glas, Poliforma Varenna, Scavolini and Kartell.
Many cultural and artistic events are running alongside the furniture exhibitions and among these are dynamic multi-media art installations by renowned artists Peter Greenaway and Bob Wilson. British filmmaker and artist Peter Greenaway’s vision of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper”, which provoked both praise and controversy when it went on show during the 2008 Milan Furniture Fair, is on display at the Park Avenue Armory until 6th January. A full-scale replica of the Milan refectory in which the original painting is displayed has been created for the exhibit.
Acclaimed playwright, director and artist Robert Wilson has created a special installation, “Perchance to Dream”, that combines the beauty of the human body with that of functional design. A series of video portraits feature famed Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle,
currently principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, with iconic Italian works of design from the last 50 years.
Organised by FederlegnoArredo (the Italian Federation of wood, cork, furniture and furnishing manufacturers), ICE (Italian Trade Commission), COSMIT, the organizer of the Milan Furniture Fair since 1961, and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, Italian Design
Street Walking offers an amazing opportunity to plunge into the long tradition of craftsmanship in Italian Design, one of the highest expressions of Italian culture and creativity as well as one of the most exported of Italian products worldwide.
Italian Design Street Walking continues until 8th January paying homage to the quality, innovation and beauty for which Italian Design has long been known. Prominent shop window banners will identify the 20 showrooms on the “circuit” to guide visitors on their walking tour of “hot spots” of Italian design throughout the city.
For further infos: www.isaloni.it
