Alessandro Mendini retrospective at Triennale Milano explores his multifaceted career

Triennale Milano and Fondation Cartier present a major retrospective on Alessandro Mendini (1931–2020), curated by Fulvio Irace, featuring over 400 works across six sections. The exhibition, titled after Mendini's 2006 self-portrait as a dragon, reconstructs his career as designer, architect, artist, editor, and poet. It opens with an 'Identikit' section emphasizing drawing as meditation, followed by 'Oggetti a uso spirituale' introducing his design side, including a three-meter-tall Proust Armchair. The 'Sindrome di Gulliver' section showcases paradoxical architecture miniatures like the Petite Cathédrale, while 'Architetture' presents models from Atelier Mendini, notably the Groningen Museum in the Netherlands. 'Le Stanze' recreates his conceptual rooms, including 'Le mie prigioni' from 2016. The exhibition culminates in an installation by Philippe Starck. Mendini's editorial career spanned Casabella, Domus, Modo, and Ollo. His collaboration with Alessi produced works like the Anna G. corkscrew and La giostra delle meraviglie (2000). The show runs at Triennale Milano.