Vico Magistretti. Architetto milanese


Considering its strong bond with Vico Magistretti, Cassina is part of the first exhibition dedicated to his work organised by the Triennale Milano to celebrate the 101st anniversary of his birth.

 

Curated by Gabriele Neri and in collaboration with the Fondazione studio museo Vico Magistretti, the exhibit traces the career of the Milanese architect through drawings, sketches, models and photographs.

 

The exhibition looks back at Magistretti’s entire career as a designer, which began shortly after the Second World War, right here at the Palazzo dell’Arte. 

 

Divided into thematic sections, the exhibition is the first time that Vico Magistretti’s work has been presented in a unified manner, with his architecture and installations, and his design and urban planning, together with his many international contacts. 

 

Red, the distinctive colour of many of his works, acts as a sort of underlying theme of the show, evoking the combination of modernity (the red of the avant-gardes) and tradition (the brick red of old Milan) that is a feature of his work.

 

Some documents are from the Cassina Historical Archive.

 

Vico Magistretti created innovative products with Cassina that have lasted over time without ever going out of fashion.

 

Over the years, the professional and personal relationship between Vico Magistretti and Cassina continued to strengthen thanks to the constant exchange of talent and creativity from a true maestro on the one hand, and the professionality and manufacturing excellence of a pioneering company on the other.

 

This collaboration, that began in the 1960s and lasted for more than 30 years, gave life to a series of icons that are still part of the Cassina collection and on show at the exhibition, these include the timeless Maralunga sofa (1973/2014/2018), the 905 small armchair (1964/2018), the Nuvola Rossa bookcase (1977) and the Edison table (1985/2021).

 

The exhibition is also a unique opportunity to discover models from the Cassina Archives that Vico Magistretti designed over the years, such as the Carimate collection (1963/64), the modello 122 chair (1967) and the Sindbad armchair (1981).


Ph. Gianluca Di Ioia, courtesy of Triennale Milano