Friday, April 17, 2009

Salone del Mobile 2009, Milano

April 22 to April 27 will be exciting crazy days in Milan (and the weeks  before and the weeks after...)
The International Furniture Fair in Milan called "Il Salone" for many years and now called "I Saloni" (plural for salone) is one of the most attended in the world, a leading event in the home furnishing sector but also a precious occasion for international meetings of minds.
It all started in 1961 with a small group of forward thinking Milanesi forming the "Cosmit" Committee.
4-4-2009 12-24-20 AM
The first year had 328 exhibitors. The 60's marked an economic Boom in Italy but the Italian furniture industry was a long way from its present role of leader on the international market.
        0000096861_Manifesto_1961B

It has grown exponentially from that year and it has become a MUST for any Designer, Architect or simply for people with their heart in Interior Design (but "I Saloni" is open to the general public only one Sunday, the rest of the week is "to- the-Trade").
 Attending the event is a wonderful, even if highly stressful, experience...someone calls it "Salone Weekly Weight- Loss Treatment"... Milan is flooded with people going from a presentation to a cocktail to a reception, restaurants (the good ones) are reserved much in advance, Hotels are filled a year in advance, not to mention the fact you cannot find a Taxi or a parking spot in this exciting, fast paced city.
Adding to the excitement are also the much anticipated "Fuori Salone" or collateral events around the city during the "Design Week" and of course they are open to the general public.
Last year British artist Peter Greenaway  gave new life to one of the world's most celebrated masterpieces  with a projection of "The Last Supper" by Leonardo da Vinci on a wall at Palazzo Reale (the Royal Palace now used for major exhibitions).
The original affresco "The Last Supper" is in Milan in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

3-30-2009 6-39-02 PM                  4-3-2009 11-45-25 PM
        3-30-2009 6-25-47 PM


This year "Palazzo Reale will host a major exhibition of the Italian culture of High Craftsmanship: five hundred years of great Italian decorative art and design side by side"
                      0000276036_Magnificenza_e_Progretto
another event will be
I=N=V=O=C=A=T=I=O=N (I call your image to mind)
"Light in all its infinite and spectacular variations will be the protagonist of this collateral event – conceived expressly for Euroluce – signed by the British artist Cerith Wyn Evans, which will be set against the backdrop of the Milan Triennale Garden".
                       0000285373_INVOCATION
and several other important events, conferences and workshops.

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                             Some of past editions' Saloni images
                       3-30-2009 6-58-49 PM

                       Alessandro Russotti

3-30-2009 7-09-02 PM

3-30-2009 7-00-06 PM

3-30-2009 7-07-08 PM

4-4-2009 12-16-28 AM

          4-3-2009 11-55-32 PM

4-4-2009 12-18-46 AM

           4-4-2009 12-04-16 AM

                                                    Not only contemporary Trends...                
4-3-2009 11-59-24 PM

Alessandro Russotti2 
                                           ********************

And here is a Sneak Peak Preview of 2009 (and more Posts to follow...)

A rendering of Arik Levy's installation for Swarowski Crystal Palace
top_10_designer_08
A new chair produced by Cassina
top_10_designer_16


A new sofa designed by Patricia Urquiola
top_10_designer_18 

A new bookcase by Alfredo Häberli
04_b_haberli


 
New lights by Tom Dixon
top_10_designer_02


A new sofa by Antonio Citterio
top_10_designer_20


                                   From 328 exhibitors in 1961 to more than 2,500 in 2009.
                                                            
                                               Poster
                                                      A great success!

Photography 2008 by Saverio Lombardi Vallauri and Luciano Pascali
2009 Sources: Angela Zanatti, Leonardo Sulsismassi

6 comments:

Unknown said...

I would love to go to this show. I have it on my calendar every year, but something always seems get in the way of going. Maybe this year will be it. The Italians are really the forerunners in creating new design and in honoring their Designers!!
Have a great weekend!
Patricia

Anonymous said...

Cara,

Wonderful illuminations. Intriguing light fixtures. And I just love the steel kitchen island!!!! Tom Dixon, Citterio... Envy, envy...look forward to your report and photo! Bacione e tante belle cose! Ingrid in Umbria

Cheryl said...

I was living near Milan for a year and I had a chance to visit and it was a super experience,good memories.

Michelle said...

What a wonderful show...wouldn't it be great if we could all meet there? In a perfect world :) I believe Neils Bensen from Vancouver has shown his work at the show. I can only imagine the ambiance in Milan at that time.

Great post Albarosa! As usual, on top of what is oober cool.

Ciao,
Michelle

MEADE DESIGN GROUP said...

Fun! Fun! Fun!

I would love to attend this event with you Albarosa - you speak italian and it seems that you know how crazy it gets - Love it! Love the story - I didn't know that this event has been a hit since the 1960's how cool is that!

The new Cassina Chair is so sweet!

Maria Killam said...

Love the art with the 2 dogs. I would love to have the budget to go to furniture shows!

 
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