Alessi - Figurine - "Calabrisella" - Porcelain

Hand-painted porcelain figurine that is part of the collection of five small porcelain figures titled: "Souvenir d´italie", this one belongs to the figure "Calabrisella" AAA01 1, designed by Antonio Aricò and LPWK (Laura Polinoro Workshop).

You can purchase this figure together with the other four shown on my profile and thus complete the entire collection of five figures.

For a country with high tourist traffic like Italy, souvenirs represent an important business. However, most of them are low-quality miniature replicas of icons from our artistic heritage. Additionally, the fact that they are predominantly manufactured in countries with low labor costs further undermines Italy’s artisanal and artistic tradition. How can we, then, produce souvenirs that truly honor the diversity of regional customs and cultures?
This was the question Alberto Alessi posed on the eve of Expo 2015 in Milan. The result was a series of small hand-painted porcelain figures; each one symbolizing a city or region of Italy along with a key ingredient of its local gastronomy.

Three of them were designed by Antonio Aricò, in collaboration with LPWK (Laura Polinoro Workshop), who chose to represent Calabria, Sicily and Venice.
--- The Calabria figure is inspired by the *bagnarota* — a traditional female figure depicted carrying a basket of food on her head —; "Calabrisella" wears a large chili pepper, a fundamental ingredient of Calabrian dishes, on her head.
--- The Sicilian figure —"Rosalia, la più bella che ci sia"— follows a similar concept and holds a basket full of typical fruits: citrus, grapes and prickly pears.
--- The Venetian figure, on the other hand, features cooler tones and an outfit that evokes the opulent Carnival, while a homage to the local gastronomy star — fish — rests on her head.

The two figures designed by Massimo Giacon, in collaboration with LPWK (Laura Polinoro Workshop), have a style closer to cartoons:
--- "Lella Mortadella" transports us to Emilia-Romagna in the form of a smiling, generously shaped housewife, while
--- "Ciro il Pulcinella" —a clear nod to Naples— is seated at the table enjoying an authentic pizza.

New to the market, in perfect condition.

Vintage collectible item, out of production, very hard to find.

Measurements: cm 5 x 3.2 - h cm 9.5

Antonio Aricò, a graduate of the Milan Polytechnic, felt from a very young age a great interest and enthusiasm for finding his own language and a way to define his love for design. He has presented iconic objects, such as the sprinklers, the Swing chair or the Block water jug. Created in collaboration with his grandfather —a carpenter based in Calabria, in southern Italy— all his products demonstrate the excellence of his technical development and his deep appreciation for forms and lines —strong and pure—, thus reflecting his vision of design and life in general. His work has already been exhibited worldwide.

LPWK, designer of metaprojects, Laura Polinoro graduated in DAMS in Bologna. In 1989 she wrote “L’officina Alessi. Alberto Alessi and Alessandro Mendini: ten years of projects, 1980-1990”. In 1990, with Alberto Alessi and Alessandro Mendini, she founded the Alessi Studies Center (CSA), a place of experimentation that involves professionals and young creators from diverse disciplines. There she conducted workshops and created innovative collections proposing the concept of metaproject. Since 2000 she continues her collaboration by founding and directing the LPWK Design Studio. She is currently a visiting adjunct professor at Domus Academy and NABA.

Alessi is the cookware brand that has created some of the most notable objects of our everyday life. Founded in 1921, Alessi has always stood out for the high quality of its products and for the modern minimalism that adds a contemporary touch to any space. Alessi has remained at the forefront of design and innovation, and continues to work with the most important designers of today, currently considered the Italian Design Factory.

Combined shipping: if you are interested in purchasing this item along with others that appear on my profile, I will ship them all in a single package, so you will only pay the highest shipping rate among the different items. (see exclusions in Catawiki information)