Deep Velvet: the history of Fortuny fabrics is on display in Como

From Feb. 28 to June 21, the Antonio Ratti Foundation in Como is exhibiting Deep Velvet, curated by Maddalena Terragni, in the exhibition rooms of Villa Sucota.

Starting with the title, Deep Velvet, the viewer is invited to immerse himself, to enter the depths of the fabric and delve into a narrative that resonates with distant encounters, possible or not yet happened. The story of fabric is, par excellence, a living story because it is linked to skin and taste, moving through the world along with the bodies wearing that fabric. This narrative does not proceed on a linear trajectory, but returns cyclically in circles and entanglements, proliferates through contacts and migrations. Masters, then, are not so much innovators as experimenters, those who are able to glimpse this magmatic seam of transformations and channel it into unexpected associations. Thus, Mariano Fortuny (Granada, 1871 - Venice, 1949) made his Venetian residence a forge in which painting, engraving, stage design and fabric coexisted in continuity, giving rise to fabrics whose technique still astonishes today.

The Fortuny creations on display are part of the TGL collection, to which an important new piece was added last year, acquired thanks to the contribution of Epson Italia, which has been supporting FAR’s textile collection activities for years. On display in the Foundation’s spaces are two velvet panels, a cloak, a cape and a pair of cotton cloths, characterized by the use of the experimental metal pigment printing technique, with decorative motifs inspired by those of medieval and Renaissance textile traditions. Echoes of these motifs are then found in the tables containing the fabrics belonging to the FAR collection. The unexpected juxtapositions, recalled by shape and color rather than chronological succession, are the materialization of the creative process that is the true richness of the pieces on display.

The Antonio Ratti Foundation stages this dynamic of reflections and inspirations: Fortuny prints on velvet and cotton dialogue with its own imagery. From antique brocades and velvets to an atmosphere reminiscent of the theatrical backdrop, what is created is an incubator, a history of fabric and its innovation, illustrated by references. Enlargements of Fortuny’s textiles, taken under a microscope and projected on the walls, create scenes in which one can recognize textures, weaves and shadows of landscapes. The exhibition highlights a layering of possibilities: technical insight and historical-scientific study do not overpower, rather they complement an atmosphere that is an invitation to get lost and explore the multiple levels of interpretation inherent in the entire FAR collection.

For all information you can visit the Foundation’s official website.

Deep Velvet: the history of Fortuny fabrics is on display in Como

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.