Past Exhibitions

Italian Arts & Design: The 20th Century

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October 28, 2006 to January 7, 2007
Viva Italia! Learn how the passione got into Pucci, the bella into Bulgari and the va-va-voom into Vespa. This stunning exhibition explores the diverse and complex ways that architects, artists and designers saw, interpreted and represented industrial society in Italy throughout the twentieth century.

Traditional Italian design was largely craft-based and centered around regional industrial centers.  During this period of tremendous industrial and technological growth, Italian artists and designers developed new philosophies and new aesthetics for their products, giving rise to new ideas that profoundly affected the cultural debate on art and design.

Showcasing 300 works, Italian Arts & Design includes furniture, glass, textiles, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, photography and more from this remarkable period in design history. Work is displayed by a number of leading 20th century Italian designers including Umberto Boccioni, Carlo Bugatti, Gio Ponti, Pucci, Ettore Sottsass and more. Many objects have never before been on public display.

Podcasts

Viva Italia!
December 04, 2006
98.1 CHFI morning show hosts, Erin Davis and Mike Cooper tour the Italian Arts & Design exhibition, highlighting select objects, including furniture by Strum and Pesce, fashion by Pucci, and more.

Video Podcast (4 MB, 7m 11s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Casa Del Fascio (House of Fascism)
November 03, 2006
Curator Robert Little discusses a project drawing for the House of Fascism, designed by Giuseppe Terragni in the early 1930s. The item is currently on display in Italian Arts & Design.

Video Podcast (4 MB, 4m 48s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Corradino D'Ascanio: Vespa 125
October 26, 2006
Audio guide excerpt highlighting the invention of the Vespa by engineer Corradino D'Ascanio and its production by the Piaggio Company; the Vespa 125 is exhibited in Italian Arts & Design.

Audio Podcast (4 MB, 2m 16s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo: Delphos Dress
October 26, 20067
Audio tour excerpt on fashion designer Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo and his elegant Delphos dress on display in Italian Arts & Design.

Audio Podcast (4 MB, 2m 18s)
Written Transcript (PDF)

Italian Arts & Design: The 20th Century was produced by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in co-operation with the Royal Ontario Museum and the Museo Mart (Museo d'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto), Rovereto, Italy. – ROM Fall 2006 Sponsor: Sentry Select Capital Corp.

ROM Fall 2006 Sponsor: Sentry Select Capital Corp.

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