It’s clear right off the bat that the Heide Museum of Modern Art has pulled out all the stops for Molto Bello: Icons of Modern Italian Design, an exhibition that refreshingly alters the gallery space with a clear vision and stunning execution.
A red-trimmed corridor leads visitors right into the heart of the gallery, where an equally cherry-toned Fiat 500 captures the stylish flamboyant spirit of the post-war era. But before giving in to the lure of the dazzling red car, look around and the breadth of artisan skill and innovation is already apparent. Dangling from the ceiling in the first gallery by an impossibly thin thread is the 1957 Superleggera chair by Gio Ponti, weighing a mere 1.7 kilograms. It forms a playful counterpart to the 1987 Ghost chair by Cini Boeri displayed in the Heide Modern residence, which is made out of a single sheet of 12 millimetre glass but can bear up to 150 kilograms.
Many of the 20th century Italian designs on view have become archetypes and remain popular today. It’s a useful reminder that something like the TikTok viral ‘grass sofa’ actually dates back to 1971 and was an icon of the Radical Design movement, and that art and design have always intermingled with blurred boundaries.
While there is no lack of colour in Molto Bello, the room featuring pieces by the late design pioneer Gaetano Pesce and the hues of green in the section ‘La Plastica Fantastica’ have harnessed it to perfection. Pesce’s 1980 Sunset in New York sofa is cast in a warm cosy glow from the orange orb of light above, befitting its inspiration, while his Pratt chairs (sold in the five-figure range at Neon Parc’s 2023 Melbourne Design Fair booth) pay tribute to the playfulness of the creative mastermind.
In ‘La Plastica Fantastica’, design innovation is exemplified through both form and material, from Gae Aulenti’s 1967 King Sun lamp, which directs rays of light through acrylic sheets, to Anna Castelli Ferrieri’s chic wall mirror and Componibili storage units that combine affordability, aesthetics and utility.
Further into the exhibition is a wall of Olivetti typewriters spanning 1950-1986, a handsome silver Vespa and some of the fanciest coffee machines ever laid eyes upon.
After exploring the main galleries, walk over to the Heide Modern residence where the aforementioned Ghost chair can be found, alongside beautifully integrated lighting features, statement tables and a mesmerising 1972 Prismar lamp by Studio A.R.D.I.T.I.
Read: Exhibition review: et al.: epochal, MUMA
If you only have the appetite for one design exhibition this summer, make sure it’s Molto Bello.
Molto Bello: Icons of Modern Italian Design is on view at Heide from 26 October 2024 to 23 March 2025; included with museum admission.
