Olivetti's Visual System at Palazzo Sturm

The exhibition 'Olivetti. L’arte di comunicare' at Palazzo Sturm in Bassano del Grappa runs until September 27. Curated by Fiorella Bulegato and Giorgio Cedolin, it presents over 130 graphic artifacts spanning from the 1930s to the 1970s, illustrating the coherence of Olivetti's visual identity. The ground floor houses the Museo della Stampa Remondini, dedicated to the Remondini dynasty of printers who dominated European image distribution in the 18th century. The second floor showcases Olivetti's graphic evolution, from black-and-white publications to the iconic red Valentine typewriter by Ettore Sottsass (1969) and the colorful 'Libri rossi' brand manuals of the 1970s. Adriano Olivetti established the internal Ufficio Sviluppo e Pubblicità in 1931, integrating designers, architects, and artists. The exhibition includes 44 consecutive calendar editions dedicated to painters like Rousseau, Cézanne, and van Gogh, designed by Giovanni Pintori, Walter Ballmer, and Roberto Pieraccini. The final section highlights Olivetti's broader social and cultural investments.