Alessandro Mendini Unveils His First Kartell Designs at Salone del Mobile

Italian designer and architect Alessandro Mendini is one of the most esteemed figures in the design world, and a personal favorite of mine. So to mark the seminal 2015 Salone del Mobile event taking place in Milan, the prolific created presented two very exciting projects for Kartell, a Milan-based firm known for its colorful plastic modern furniture.
 
This marks Mendini’s first collaboration with the world-renowned Italian firm in his over fifty year career. The two pieces in question were an injection-molded stool and a wall-mounted clock – seemingly mundane and utilitarian accessories that are given new life through a brilliant and characteristic balance of aesthetics and functionality.
 
 
Constructed from mass-dyed polycarbonate, the stool – named “Roy” in an homage American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein – give lie to the notion that plastics are “cheap” or otherwise undesirable materials to work with. Solid and sturdy, it comes available in fluorescent shades of green, orange, and pink, and can double as a side table – a testament to Mendini’s (and Kartell’s) commitment to utility.
 
Displaying the designer’s signature tribal pattern motif, the sleek and effective shape of the stool originates with Ancient Chinese preferences, a rather interesting and unique source of inspiration for modern design furniture (it goes to show how universal and time-tested a lot of smart designs are!). Lichtenstein’s influence can be seen in the pop artist’s characteristic Ben-Day dot style intersected with the tribal patterns – a pretty fitting mix, as it turns out.
 

 
The second item is a clock also composed of plastic (specifically thermoplastic technopolymer) and available in the same vibrant colors as Roy. Called “Crystal Palace” after London’s famous glass hall in The Great Exhibition of 1851 (aka the first World’s Fair), it too reflects an appreciation for simplicity nonetheless counterbalanced with color, character, and distinctiveness. The same intriguing tribal patterns are on display, showing that modern design needn’t be without a little fun.
 
Given these great new works, it is pretty clear why I proudly offer Modern Design Furniture from Alessandro Mendini and Kartell at CA Modern Home. Visit my showroom at 1560 Lenox Ave. Suite 101 Miami Beach, Florida 33139 – or contact 800.605.1859 or sales@camodernhome.com for more details or questions.