Fulvio Irace decodes Alessandro Mendini's creative labyrinth in new Electa book
Fulvio Irace's 'Codice Mendini. Le regole per progettare' (Electa, 2016, 368 pp., €130) explores the intricate works of Italian designer and architect Alessandro Mendini. Irace posits that Mendini's seemingly disordered creations adhere to a fundamental code influenced by personal experiences and rituals. The narrative delves into Mendini's upbringing in a Milan residence crafted by Piero Portaluppi, showcasing pieces by artists like Campigli and Morandi. His design ideology encompasses concepts such as the 'unhappy project' and revisiting origins, highlighted by his Proust Geometrica armchair (2009) and the house in Olda (2006). Mendini's reliance on lists and self-portraits guides him through his creative maze, marking him as a postmodern counterpart to Gio Ponti. The book is richly illustrated.
Key facts
- Book 'Codice Mendini. Le regole per progettare' by Fulvio Irace published by Electa in 2016
- 368 pages, €130, ISBN 9788837099671
- Alessandro Mendini grew up in a Milanese house designed by Piero Portaluppi for his grandparents
- The house was filled with art by Campigli, Morandi, Savinio, Severini, Sironi
- Mendini's design concepts include 'unhappy project,' 'soft project,' 'black design'
- Mendini created the Proust Geometrica armchair in 2009 for Cappellini
- His house in Olda, Valtaleggio was built in 2006
- Mendini described himself as 'ironic and tragic' like Harlequin
Entities
Artists
- Alessandro Mendini
- Fulvio Irace
- Piero Portaluppi
- Campigli
- Morandi
- Alberto Savinio
- Severini
- Sironi
- Gio Ponti
- Umberto Eco
- Jorge Luis Borges
- Gertrude Stein
- Guido Gozzano
- Xavier de Maistre
- Le Corbusier
- Rem Koolhaas
- Vico Magistretti
- Massimo d'Azeglio
- Leonardo da Vinci
Institutions
- Electa
- Cappellini
- Politecnico di Milano
- Accademia di Brera
- Fondazione Bisazza
- Artribune
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Olda
- Valtaleggio
- Vicenza
- Africa