“Ceramics: neverending artworks” is the title Iris Ceramica Group and Antonia Jannone have given to the exhibition in the Fiorano-based company’s showroom, from 10 January to 18 February.
In close proximity to the cathedral, right next to Piazza Mercanti, Iris opened this space in 2020, which will now host an exhibition that illustrates the important history shared by ceramics and design, through objects created by a superlative gathering of designers.
The borderline between art and design is a topic for infinite discussion, but here what matters are not definitions or lines of thought, but simply the results achieved.
The expert, sensitive “touch” of Antonia Jannone, born in Naples but now Milanese, has traced an itinerary that is delicate when needed, aggressive when necessary: the objects shaped by creative talents like Cibic, Mendini, Branzi, Sottsass, George Sowden, Serafini (author of the Codex), Zanini, Bedin, Thun, De Lucchi, Du Pasquier and Shire bring with them over a century of design and graphics, representing obligatory stopping points that go beyond personal tastes. An appealing immersion for design lovers, but also for students and a wider audience.
The inevitable fil rouge, given the personalities involved, is that of the Memphis movement with its characteristic, immortal gestures, asymmetrical and nonchalant forms combined with daring patterns. A true case of 4K impact.
The flagship store of Iris Ceramica Group, designed by Area 17 Architecture & Interiors, becomes a perfect setting, with its ample spaces, where each of the ceramic pieces can find its own individual habitat.
This is a big step forward for the company run by the Minozzi family, a step that shifts away from the traditional notions of ceramics to enter territories that are far from banal, in search of new high-definition solutions.
