“Italian Ironic Design of the ‘60s” at the Italian Cultural Institute in Zagreb 
The exhibition offers an overview of the design of Italian cult objects that created the myth of “Made in Italy”. It was in the sixties that Italian design fully developed. This is when new materials like polyurethane and plastics were introduced. These materials made it possible to process artisanal products at the pace of industry. Enzo Mari, Ernesto Gismondi and Dino Gavina were among the top proponents. Then Ettore Sottsass started working for Olivetti, designing the “Valentina” portable typewriter in 1969. The exhibition displays interior design objects that show the evolution in materials and production processes that made design free, ironic and unrestrained by rational and logical constraints.
“Introduction to Italian Design in the 20th Century” at the IIC in Melbourne
In a lecture, Anna Cajone (artist and design expert) will analyse the factors that have led Italy to becoming a leader in design and manufacturing from the beginning of the 19th century to the period following World War II. Starting from 1945, the fast-paced production lines which were needed to rebuild the Country were introduced. This period was dominated by a great sense of optimism, in which architects and designers played a crucial role in shaping a possible future for the Country’s newly established democracy.
“Italian fashion. Couture bridal tradition and the power of the veil” in Washington
“Italian fashion. Couture bridal tradition and the power of the veil”, a debate and exhibition organised by the Italian Embassy and Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, will focus on wedding veils. The chat will be between Enrica Ponzellini, Editor of the magazine Vogue Sposa, Max Botticelli, photographer for Alta Moda magazine, and Alison Miller. The panel will discuss the meaning of “Made in Italy” by concentrating on a single product: the bridal veil. Through a show of photographs and videos, they will illustrate how the veil has influenced the design of wedding gowns. The photographs and the display of precious veils will help the public to appreciate the expertise and the craftsmanship of Italian Haute Couture design and to understand the results achievable by following Italian tradition and design.
“Under 35 – Italian Design” in Buenos Aires (MARQ Museum)
The exhibition was specifically designed for the 31st Triennale di Milano International 2016. The show puts together a selection of objects designed by young Italian creatives, ranging from self-produced to mass-produced artistic objects and specifically industrial objects. Present at the opening will be the president of the Milan Triennale’s Fondazione Museo del Design, Arturo Dell’Acqua Bellavitis and the curator of the exhibition and the director of the Museo della Triennale, Silvana Annicchiarico.
“Kazakh and Italian Design Connections” in Astana (Technology and Business University)
Mr. Andrea Tosi, head of innovation and partnerships at the Istituto Europeo del Design, will give an overview of Italian design and of the activities of the Institute in a lecture entitled “Kazakh and Italian Design Connections”. Mr Tosi will also sign a dual diploma agreement with the University of Astana.
“From which none of us can escape” exhibition in New Delhi
The exhibition entitled “From which none of us can escape” (“Dal quale nessuno di noi può sfuggire”) explores the narrative potential of fashion photographers Bruna Rotunno (Italian) and Amit Dey (Indian). The centrality of fashion and the eloquence of images evoke the realm of imagination. The exhibition explores the potential of imaginative and revolutionary ideas in the world of fashion while the selection of photographs transform a predictable realm into an infinite universe dilated by supernatural and phantasmagorical projections. The metaphorical use of the word “fashion” provides the material enabling their female models to travel across time and space.
“What Italian Design is about” exhibition in Sofia
The Italian Cultural Institute (IIC) in Sofia, in conjunction with the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, the Union of Architects and the Triennale di Milano, presents an exhibition “Che cos’è il design italiano?” (“What Italian Design is about”) displaying the objects designed and produced by Italian designers that became the milestones in the world’s history of design. The exhibition aims to provide useful elements to understand the genius that Italy exported in all the world, influencing several generations of consumers by entering all of our lives in an endless interplay between history, tradition, society, industry and love of beauty.
