Alessi: Ethical and Radical, an exhibition opening at the Philadelphia Museum of Art next week, presents Alberto Alessi’s achievements since the 1970s in producing functional designs of exceptional quality by collaborating with leading architects and designers, including Ron Arad, the Campana Brothers, Achille Castiglioni, Michael Graves, Greg Lynn, Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass, Philippe Starck, and Robert Venturi. The exhibition includes objects, drawings, videos, and photographs that demonstrate the company’s approach to design and unique way of working with its designers.
"The Alessi philosophy that the everyday should not be mundane is exactly what we offer in our showroom. The Alessi philosophy that the everyday should be celebrated is consistent with what we offer to our clients," said Dennis Miller of Dennis Miller Associates, who has begun carrying select Alessi products available to the trade in his New York Design Center showroom.
Alessi is known for his household objects that blur the boundaries between industry and art. The family-owned and operated company was founded in 1921 by Giovanni Alessi near Lake Orta in the foothills of the Italian Alps, an area known for highly developed craft traditions in wood and metal. In the 1950s, under the leadership of Carlo Alessi, Giovanni’s son, the company began to commission products from outside designers, and it was through this strategy that Carlo’s eldest son, Alberto Alessi, brought the company to the forefront of international design.
