Alessi - Figurine - "Venice" - Porcelain

Hand-painted porcelain figurine that is part of the collection of five small porcelain figures called: "Souvenir d´italie," this one belongs to the figure "Venice" AAA01 3, designed by Antonio Aricò and LPWK (Laura Polinoro Workshop).

You can acquire this figure together with the other four that appear on my profile and thus be able to complete the entire collection of five figures.

For a country with a high tourist flow like Italy, souvenirs represent an important business. However, most consist of low-quality miniature replicas of icons of our artistic heritage. Moreover, 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 do justice to the diversity of regional customs and cultures?
That was the question Alberto Alessi posed on the eve of the Milan Expo 2015. The result was a series of small hand-painted porcelain figures; each one symbolizes a city or region of Italy along with a key ingredient of its local cuisine.

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 fruits, grapes and prickly pears.
--- The Venetian figure, on the other hand, presents cooler tones and an outfit that evokes the lavish Carnival, while a tribute to the local gastronomy star —the 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.

Brand new, in perfect condition.

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

Dimensions: 5 x 5 cm - height 10 cm

Antonio Aricò, a graduate of the Milan Polytechnic, has long been passionate about finding his own language and a way to define his love of design. He has presented iconic objects, such as the sprinklers, the Swing chair, or the water jug Block. Made in collaboration with his grandfather —a carpenter settled in Calabria, southern Italy—, all his products demonstrate the excellence of their technical development and a deep appreciation for shapes and lines —strong and pure— thus reflecting his vision of design and life in general. His work has already been exhibited around the world.

LPWK, metaproject designer, 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 co-founded the Alessi Study Center (CSA), a place of experimentation that involves professionals and young creatives from various disciplines. There she conducted workshops and created innovative collections proposing the concept of metaproject. Since 2000 she has continued her collaboration by founding and directing the LPWK Design Studio. She is currently a visiting associate professor at Domus Academy and NABA.

Alessi is the cookware brand that has created some of the most iconic objects of our daily lives. Founded in 1921, Alessi has always stood out for the high quality of its products and for the modern minimalist touch that adds a contemporary feel to any space. Alessi has remained at the forefront of design and innovation, and continues to work with leading 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 objects. (see exclusions in Catawiki information)