Marking Moroso’s 60th year, David Harrison explores an exhibition examining the nexus of visual art and design
November 13th, 2012
It seems appropriate that Moroso would choose the new Casa Cavazzini exhibition space for contemporary art in Udine rather than a more obvious venue in Milan to celebrate 60 years of their groundbreaking furniture designs.
Udine may not be a household name but it is the birthplace of many great Italian furniture brands including Mattiazzi and Gervasoni and of course, Moroso.
Patricia Urquiola
The company has championed the talents of the world’s most creative designers since working with Massimo Iosa Ghini and Antonio Citterio in the eighties, but since 2004 with the help of Andrea Bruciati, Moroso has actively collaborated with artists and in 2010 initiated an award for contemporary Italian artists.
M’Afrique Intallation featuring works of Patricia Urquiola, Toord Boontje and birsel + seck
Sushi Installation featuring works of Edward Van Vliet
Wishing to avoid the chronological display that is the usual basis of company milestone exhibitions, Moroso has instead opted for a vibrant assemblage of models, prototypes, mistakes and one off pieces, exhibited along side the work of artists who have collaborated with Moroso over the years such as Francesco Simeti and Tobias Rehberger.
Francesco Simeti
Joining the mix are also the current crop of artist’s selected to compete for the Moroso Award for Contemporary Art. ’I prefer to celebrate the future with an exhibition which is all about life and change, a coming together and contamination with art’ says Patrizia Moroso, art director of Moroso.
Luca Trevisani
The company, which was started in 1952 by Patrizia’s mother and father Augostino and Diana Moroso, has under her artistic direction, embraced artists from all sorts of disciplines including graphic arts, sculpture and fashion.
Andrea Mastrovito
Ron Arad’s move from one off metal sculptures to production furniture in the early nineties, for example, was most successfully expressed in his ’Soft Big Easy’ and ’Soft Little Heavy” designs for Moroso. Arad remains one of the company’s key designers and part of an ever growing family that includes Patricia Urquiola, Front, Tokujin Yoshioka, Tord Boontje and Nipa Doshi.
Andrea Sala
What sets the brand apart however, is it’s ability to discover designers at just the right time in their career and encourage their development though the company’s open desire to experiment. Once a designer or artist’s talent has been spotted by Patrizia, the approach tends to be ’let’s start and see where it takes us’.
Martino Gamper
The Metamorphis exhibition is a true reflection of this attitude with one of the former recipients of the Moroso Award for Contemporary Art, Martino Gamper, creating an installation specifically for the exhibition. Using existing moulded foams from Moroso upholstery pieces, Gamper has reshaped, cut and spliced them to create a futuristic mash up of Moroso designs.
Metamorphosis: Moroso60
“I’ve never asked a designer to make a piece for me” says Patrizia, “I’ve always asked them to try to imagine a world”
Moroso
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
In the lead up to the ultimate industry edit – the Indesign x Habitus x LightCo #Salone2017 Review – we take the time to introduce you to our illustrious panel of speakers one by one! Today: Interior Designer, Adele Bates.
Planning for today’s workplace and looking to the future, Herman Miller has the solutions for a supported office environment in these changing times.
Hub Local – Box Hill helps meet the increasing demand for flexible and convenient working environments outside of typical CBD locations.
The Tasmanian Design Award is an initiative of the Design Centre Tasmania, aimed at promoting the development and sale of products designed and made in the island state. They are currently calling for entries to the competition, which close on Friday 25 September 2009, with all antries to the Design Centre by 5:30pm. The winner […]
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
A south coast escape that redefines hospitality architecture.
2024’s theme, “Reawaken,” calls for a journey through reinvention and sustainability.
Overcoming pandemic hurdles to redefine guest experiences amidst Sydney’s bustling entertainment precinct, The Darling has undergone a two-year restoration that melds Art Deco interiors with the necessities of hotel living.