Tutto Ponti: Largest Retrospective of Gio Ponti Opens at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris presents 'Tutto Ponti. Gio Ponti Archi-Designer', the largest retrospective ever dedicated to the Italian architect and designer, running from October 19, 2018 to February 10, 2019. The exhibition spans over 1,000 square meters and covers six decades of Ponti's career, showcasing his work in architecture, design, and publishing. Curated by Sophie Bouilhet-Dumas, descendant of the Bouilhet family who commissioned Ponti's Villa L'Ange Volant in Garches, the show is organized chronologically but encourages visitors to explore freely. Salvatore Licitra, head of the Gio Ponti Archives and grandson of the artist, notes that the exhibition is the first comprehensive overview outside Italy, where Ponti's work has often been overlooked by academic critics. The exhibition includes loans from numerous institutions and private collections. The accompanying catalog features essays by Fulvio Irace, Ugo La Pietra, and Sophie Dumas, with contributions from young researchers. Ponti's archive, housed in Milan and at CSAC in Parma, contains 130,000 letters and extensive photographic and drawing collections.