Alessi: Art and Poetry

by Fay Sweet

"Cutting Edge" profiles the designers who matter in the 1990s--those who have changed the perceptions of fashion and those who are poised to define the next century. Clear text, a wealth of illustrations, and an affordable price combine to make these books a must for designers, design students, and all those interested in visual culture.

Genres: Design

64 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Mloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful book depicting the beginning and the evolution of the Alessi Brand, who is most popularly known for manufacturing some of the finest Italian-made metal kitchen wares: each a blend of style and sophistication, employing labor-intensive lathe work, detailing and polishing to every finished product, one might consider their exquisit collection as collectible art. This book catalogues some of their uniquely, ingenious pieces produced under the collaboration of the Alessi's Manufacturing Company and a cornucopia of talented "meastros": from classical, artistic masters such as Ettore Sottass and Achille Castiglioni to fresh, whimsical designs from avant-garde artist like Philippe Starck and Stefano Giovanni. This book was as educational as it beautiful; who could have known that so much thought and process goes into designing a (seemingly) simple object like a kettle; but then again Alessi's alluring kettles are as much a masterpieces as any works of art that it would be a welcome addition to any museum and so functional that it's probably in every single kitchen, in every household in Italy.