Place mat, ‘Vasarely’, from the ‘De Vecchi Too’ series, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni in 2002 and made by De Vecchi in Milan. Collection: De Vecchi. Photo: Leo Torri, courtsey of De Vecchi.

Vase, ‘Evasioni’ collection , designed by Marco Zanini in 1997 and made by Pampaloni in Florence. Collection: Pampaloni. Photo courtesy of Gianfranco Pampaloni.

Bowls, ‘Pannocchia’ (Corncob), decorated in the repoussé (hammering) technique, designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg for san Lorenzo, Milan, 1971. Collection: MAC - Museo per gli Argenti Contemporanei (Sartirana). Photo by Antonio De Luca, courtesy of san Lorenzo.

This exhibition has closed

A landmark exhibition of contemporary sterling and pure silverware produced in Italy over the last three decades was on show at the Powerhouse Museum as part of Sydney Design Week.

Comprising over 150 pieces, including stunning vases, tea and coffee sets and even pure silver pots and pans, Contemporary silver: made in Italy was the first survey exhibition of modern Italian silver in Australia.

Contemporary silver: made in Italy, featuring spectacular silver objects for the home, surveyed Italy’s leading late 20th and early 21st century silversmithing firms and design studios. It also showcased internationally renowned architects and designers from Italy and from around the world whose work is being produced there.

Drawing on the collections of the Museo per gli Argenti Contemporanei (MAC) and Museo Alessi, and supplemented with loans of key objects from De Vecchi, San Lorenzo, Pampaloni and Sawaya & Moroni, the exhibition featured objects by pillars of Italian design such as Andrea Branzi, Ettore Sottsass Jr, Matteo Thun, Carlo Scarpa, Afra and Tobia Scarpa, Michele de Lucchi, Lella and Massimo Vignelli, Enzo Mari, Marco Zanini, Alessandro Mendini, Antonio Piva, and many others.

Exhibition highlights included Alessi’s iconic ‘Tea and coffee piazzas’ including those designed by famous international architects Richard Meier, Michael Graves, Kazuma Yamashita, Charle s Jencks, Hans Hollein , Stanley Tigerman and Robert Venturi. Also on display were examples from Alessi’s extraordinary ‘Tea & Coffee Towers’ series (22 tea and coffee sets) recently designed by international architects, including Australia’s own Denton Corker Marshall, as well as objects designed by Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel and Tom Dixon.

Today, Italy is the world leader in the production of high-quality and innovative contemporary silverware, emerging with great force in the 1970s and entering the global market in the 1980s. Highly influential, Italian-made silverware has played a key role in transforming a somewhat unfashionable material into objects of desire for the contemporary consumer.

Contemporary silver: made in Italy celebrated the achievements of Italian silversmithing studios and Italian and international architects and designers who have created contemporary silverware of distinction.

Contemporary silver: made in Italy was part of Sydney Design Week (5 - 15 August 2004). www.sydneydesignweek.com.au.

Under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in Sydney, in conjunction with the Italian Institute of Culture, the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Chamber of Commerce.

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Contemporary silver: made in Italy
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