At MAXXI from 27 March to 7 June 2015, the exhibition Local Icons. Greetings from Rome is a metaphorical journey around the Eternal City through creative reinterpretations of a number of emblematic objects.
The two curators – Giulio Cappellini for Alcantara and Domitilla Dardi, design curator, MAXXI Architettura – decided to involve a number of designers with very close ties to Italy in a project that revisits Rome’s uniqueness with a contemporary twist. Gentucca Bini, Lanzavecchia+Wai, Laudani&Romanelli, Paola Navone, Patricia Urquiola, Stefano Giovannoni, Zanellato/Bortotto are the protagonists of the exhibition. Seven designs, also available in souvenir formats, together with other emblematic objects that Alcantara’s versatility interprets with a clear understanding of each one’s deepest meaning. A collection inspired by Rome and its rich cultural, historical and popular imagery and fuelled by the talent and sensitivity of artists who have created articles which are a part of our memories, objects that evoke very intimate emotions.
With Local Icons. Greetings from Rome, MAXXI and Alcantara begin a journey to find the images that define places rooted in a culture’s collective memory, and take a fresh look at them through new designs. Once more, MAXXI and Alcantara’s partnership highlights their shared focus on creativity and research and their extreme attention for the most diverse languages, experimentation and cultural innovation.
“The MAXXI-Alcantara project, now in its fourth edition, best reflects the museum’s mission and its commitment to promoting and supporting today’s creative talents,” states Giovanna Melandri, President of the MAXXI Foundation.
“We’re pleased to renew our collaborative work with MAXXI,” says Andrea Boragno, President and CEO of Alcantara S.p.A., “especially for an exhibition such as this which evokes our most personal memories and puts the accent on Alcantara’s values”.
