The Italian Cultural Institute in Toronto organized a webinar\u00a0titled \u201cDesign To\u201d on the prestigious architect Gio Ponti, to be held on Friday, 21 January, with keynote speaker Fulvio Irace, professor emeritus at the Milan Polytechnic.<\/p>\n
Gio Ponti (1891-1979) was the emblem of Italy as it rose from the rubble of war, having conquered a prominent position in the world\u2019s post-war architectural scene. Ponti believed in the redeemable value of art as the expression of the spirit of sharing amongst people, in an attempt to create a global common market of art, a universal instrument of reconciliation among peoples.<\/p>\n
Ponti\u2019s name was associated with the invention of\u00a0the “Made in Italy” logo, and it was acclaimed by the public worldwide, as testified by two large exhibitions: “Tout Ponti” (Mad, Louvre Paris – 2018) and “Gio Ponti: amare l’Architettura” (Maxxi, Roma – 2019).<\/p>\n
When he was very young, Ponti started working as art director for the world-renowned porcelain factory Richard Ginori: from that moment on, he never stopped putting to work his incredible creative talent in all the fields that opened up to his inexhaustible imagination. His works include the Grattacielo Pirelli and the Cathedral of Taranto. In 1928, he founded the magazine Domus, and was a prolific writer: his most famous book is \u201cElogio dell\u2019architettura\u201d (1957).<\/p>\n