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Release
> les arts décoratifs
www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr
1. Piero Fornasetti, Four plates of the “Tema e Variazioni” series, porcelain. Diameter: 26 cm. 1950-1980
piero Fornasetti:
THE PRACTICAL MADNESS
March 11 - June 14 2015
Exhibition co-organised and co-produced by
Les Arts Décoratifs, Paris
Triennale Design Museum, Milan
Immaginazione srl/Barnaba Fornasetti, Milan
press CONTACTS
Marie-Laure MOREAU
Isabelle MENDOZA
PHONE: +33 01 44 55 58 78
FAX: +33 01 44 55 57 93
[email protected]
www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr
press release
> piero Fornasetti: THE PRACTICAL MADNESS
2. Piero Fornasetti, “Musicale” wooden chair
Printed, lacquered and painted by hand, 1951
3. Piero Fornasetti, Calendrar “La follia pratica”, 1947
4. Piero Fornasetti “Sole” wooden chair.
Printed, lacquered and painted by hand, 1950 circa
PRESENTED IN THE MAIN NAVE OF LES ARTS DECORATIFS, THE EXHIBITION “PIERO FORNASETTI: THE PRACTICAL MADNESS” IS A COLLECTION
OF MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND PIECES BY FORNASETTI (1913-1988) RETRIEVED FROM HIS INCREDIBLE ARCHIVES. THIS RETROSPECTIVE
EXHIBITION IS A PORTRAIT OF THIS CREATOR WHO WAS A PAINTER AS WELL AS A DECORATOR, A PRINTER AND A PUBLISHER, A COLLECTOR
AND A MERCHANT. IN THE THEATRICAL DECORATIVE UNIVERSE OF FORNASETTI, THE SUBJECTS IMBUED WITH POETRY AND IMAGINATION PLAY
WITH OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, METAPHYSICAL LANDSCAPES, FIGURES DRAWN FROM THE COMEDY OF CRAFT AND ENIGMATIC AND LUNAR FACES
DEPICTED IN MULTIPLE VARIATIONS. PIERO FORNASETTI PAINTS SCARVES AS WELL AS FURNITURE WITH HIS MOTIFS, BUT ALSO WALLS AND
SCREENS, PLATES, TRAYS AND UMBRELLA STANDS. IN PARTICULAR, TOGETHER WITH THE ARCHITECT GIO PONTI, HE IMAGINED COMPLETE
INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION SOLUTIONS FOR PRIVATE HOMES, OCEAN LINERS, CASINOS.
A great reader and designer since his
but also the works of the greatest
(1942), the canteen of the barracks of
childhood,
Fornasetti
defines
artists of his time: Carlo Carrà, Giorgio
Piazza Sant’ Ambrogio, the Sanremo
self-educated
person,
de
Lucio
Casino, Casa Lucano (1951), and again
one who wanted no guide but his own
Fontana. His virtuosity allowed him to
the cabins and halls of the ocean liner
choice in life. Against his father’s will,
work on all kinds of supports: paper,
Andrea Doria (1952).
he enrolled at the Academy of Fine
ceramic,
Arts of Brera in 1930, but he was
was in 1933, then, when he took part
Fornasetti, in his fascination for the
expelled two years later due to his
in Milan’s Triennale with his scarves,
object as a multiple and for «printed
rebellious behaviour. Hence, he began
that Gio Ponti discovered his talent.
materials in all their forms» (Patrick
studying drawing and lithography on
Their cooperation actually began in
Mauriès),
books only, self-taught. The printing
1940, when they worked on a range
advertising products, logos and fashion
press that was available in his father’s
of lamps. Together they worked on the
accessories he generally conceived as
workshop
practice
craziest projects: the covers of the
serial objects. The most famous work is
and experiment with all etching and
magazines Domus and Stile, furniture
the plates with variations of the opera
printing techniques. He creates the
like the Archittetura Cabinet in 1951,
singer Lina Cavalieri’s round face, of
Stamperia d’Arte Piero Fornasetti and
and many interior decoration projects:
which no less than three hundred and
published his drawings, his almanacs,
the frescoes of the Bo Palace in Padua
fifty versions exist.
himself
as
Piero
a
allowed
him
to
Chirico,
Marino
glass,
Marini,
leather,
textiles.
It
An
extremely
prolific
also
artist,
created
Piero
posters,
press release
> piero Fornasetti: THE PRACTICAL MADNESS
5. Piero Fornasetti, “Architettura” cabinet,
lithographi on wood, 1951
In
the
1970,
Piero
“Bibliofili”
Fornasetti
Gallery,
6. Piero Fornasetti, “Angolo Antico con Eva” screen, lithograph on wood, hand painted. 200x200 cm, 1952
founded
where
the
general commissioner of the exhibition
styles: Roman antiquity, the Italian
“Bolide
Renaissance, Palladio’s architectures...
design”,
for
works of contemporary artists were
designed the model.
displayed beside his own productions.
Piero
Strengthened
simple
he
opened
by
several
this
experience,
shops
in
Fornasetti
and
which
even
In the 90’s, Piero Fornasetti became
responded
refined
he
shapes
to
the
a
source
of
of
the
designers, and
inspiration
for
many
Philippe Starck was
Milan
modernism of the era, with a sort of
among them. The first monographic
and in Turin, he displayed his entire
indifference for the current dogmas
volume,
production.
of
rich
Patrick Mauriès, and the involvement
He was also a film director and a stage
imagination on a note of humour, with
of his son Barnaba, who continued the
designer: in 1970, he responded to
dreams and illusions. Whether they
work of such a dynamic and creative
François Mathey’s invitation, who was
are serially produced or revealed in
father, contributed to the rediscovery
then the director of the Museum of
his
objects
of a body of work, the significance
Decorative Arts and played the role of
span an entire world of references and
of which is today clear to all of us.
design
by
decorations,
playing
with
Fornasetti’s
a
consecrating
the
author
press release
> piero Fornasetti: THE PRACTICAL MADNESS
7. Piero Fornasetti, “Viso” (face) mirror, hand engraved glass within a frame
of brass rays, diameter 50 cm, 1950s
8. Piero Fornasetti, “Uccelli“ (birds), print proof, colour on paper, 1950s
projet pour un foulard de soie, 1950
9. Piero Fornasetti, “Bastoni intrecciati” (Intertwined canes), colour print on paper,
74X69 cm, 1940
10, Piero Fornasetti, “Palladiana” chest of drawers, lithograph on wood, 1951
Certain decorations would be evoked with
Publication:
his
and always in perspective with the design
Under the direction of Patrick Mauriès
beginnings as a painter (not very well
and painting, centre-pieces of his universe.
Texts by Piero and Barnaba Fornasetti,
known) allow us to go back to the
This exhibition, presented in 2013 at
Olivier
Italian and European artistic context of
Triennale Design Museum in Milan, is
Ponti, Giovanna Quadri Curzio
the 30’s, those of the Twentieth Century
the first retrospective ever devoted to
and the “Return to order”, his activity
Fornasetti in France. By presenting the
288 pages
as a printer that underlie all his work,
whole
350 illustrations
the Tema e Variazioni series and his
and atypical personality, the exhibition
19 x 33 cm
cooperation with Gio Ponti. Sets of his
finds its place at the core of a critical
Bleed-off binding
trays, umbrella stands, trumeau... will
and theoretical discussion on ornament
French
be displayed in abundance.
as
English edition: Thames & Hudson
The
exhibition
themes
of
the
presents
the
designer’s
work:
great
a
spectrum
structural
of
his
rich,
element
of
peculiar
design.
Gabet,
edition:
Patrick
Les
Mauriès,
Arts
Gio
Décoratifs
key information
Curators:  
> Barnaba Fornasetti
> Olivier Gabet, Les Arts Décoratifs museums director
les arts décoratifs
Bruno ROGER,
Chairman
David Caméo,
General director
Olivier GABET,
Museums director
Pascale de SEzE,
Communication director
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