MOROSO’S FIRST 60 YEARS

a review by Virginia Lucarelli

Milan

The exhibitions that celebrates Moroso’s 60 years in business took place from 21 June to 2 September in the vibrant space of Hangar Bicocca, a former industrial plant in Milan now devoted to the production and promotion of contemporary art.

The first installation Metamorphosis_Behind, After or Beyond is by the designer Martino Gamper, winner of the 1st Moroso Award for Contemporary Art. The company, that has been embodying Italian excellence since 1952, chose to support the relationship between art and design in 2011, setting up a prize that gives young artists the opportunity to exhibit site-specific projects in the Moroso showrooms. Martino Gamper transformed existing products from different periods and designers reassembling their structures to create new seating and shapes. He interpreted the concept of metamorphosis melting different fabrics and structures and creating the concept of new furniture starting from the existing one.

The second exhibition Backstage – a sideview on the Moroso design collection, curated by Patrizia Moroso and Marco Viola, is a rich overview of the company’s production.

“The itinerary of this exhibition is a walk through time, an opportunity – celebrating our first 60 years – to remember with a smile and a sense of satisfaction a history of ideas, prototypes, variants, variations, additions, interpretations and mistakes, marvellous errors in some cases.”
- Patrizia Moroso –

Models, prototypes and objects currently out of production were displayed together with the iconic products to show the creative and productive process of the company. Pieces were assembled together on wooden crates resembling coloured and vivid sculptures thanks to the theatrical lighting and to the atmosphere of the location.

Background, overview

Backstage, Patricia Urquiola designs

Backstage, white composition

Backstage, M'Afrique collection

Metamorphosis, overview