Colours are an integral part
of a people’s culture, expressing and conveying their customs and traditions,
influencing behaviour and the environment, language and imagination.
Red is a truly iconic
Italian colour, crossing a thousand-year-old history that starts from the togas
of the ancient Romans, continues with the famous red shirts worn by Garibaldi's
soldiers, and reaches the present day marking the industrial development of the
country.
"Red in Italy – I colori del rosso nel design italiano" [Red in Italy - Shades of Red in Italian Design], an exhibition presented in Rome at the Ministry of Enterprises and
Made in Italy and promoted by Campari Group with the patronage of
the Altagamma Foundation, explores the different meanings of this colour
though a series of artefacts that epitomize the Italian spirit in
the world.
Starting from the iconic
Campari red, the exhibition traces the history of the 20th and 21st
centuries creations fruit of the Italian genius that have contributed to building
Italy’s image abroad, interweaving design, art, culture, and sociology.
Among them is Pepe, our stool designed by Raffaella
Mangiarotti and made for the occasion in a special red version (Pantone 207 red). Selected
by curator Francesca Valan for its successful reinterpretation of a
riding saddle by effortlessly combining aesthetics and ergonomics, as well as
for expressing refined Italian craftsmanship, Pepe features a leather seat
stitched and finished rigorously by hand. Additionally, it is treated
with aniline dye, a type of tanning that preserves the characteristics
and marks that make each leather product special and unique.
The Rome edition of the exhibition will be held at Palazzo Piacentini,
the seat of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, and open to the
public on Saturdays 10, 17 and 24 June 2023. To access the exhibition, reservation
is required by writing to polo.culturale@mise.gov.it
"Red in Italy - I Colori del Rosso nel Design Italiano"
Palazzo Piacentini, Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Rome
Exhibition open to the public on 10, 17 and 24 June
2023.
