"I am a dragon": the true story of Alessandro Mendini on display in Milan.

Triennale Milano and Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain join forces to pay tribute to Alessandro Mendini, a leading figure in architecture, design, art and theory who influenced revolutions in thought and costume in the 20th century and the new millennium. From April 13 to October 13, 2024, the Cube space in Milan will host the retrospective Io sono un drago. The True Story of Alessandro Mendini, produced in collaboration with the Alessandro Mendini Archive and curated by Fulvio Irace, with an exhibition design by Pierre Charpin. An installation designed by Philippe Starck will be presented in the Impluvium, from April 16 to October 13, 2024.

These two never-before-seen projects, conceived specifically for the spaces of the Palazzo dell’Arte, are the result of the deep connection that both Triennale and Fondation Cartier have had with Mendini over the years. Mendini’s projects at the Triennale include the installation Architettura sussurrante (1979) as part of the 16th International Exhibition, the exhibition Quali Cose Siamo (2010), and the Teatro dei Burattini (2015), the latter designed together with his brother Francesco and located in the Triennale garden. With the exhibition Fragilisme (2002) at Fondation Cartier, Mendini elaborated one of the fundamental concepts of his theoretical thinking. Ten years later, he was invited to conceive the installation of Histoires de voir, as well as envision site-specific works and participate in Fondation Cartier exhibitions around the world. Numerous works by Mendini are present in the collections of the two institutions and will be shown in the retrospective.

The exhibition, presented in collaboration with Elisa and Fulvia Mendini - Alessandro Mendini Archive, is curated by Fulvio Irace with an exhibition design by Pierre Charpin, a designer who has collaborated several times with Mendini. More than 400 works of different formats, materials, and subjects from numerous public and private collections, including the Alessandro Mendini Archive, Fondation Cartier, Triennale, Abet Laminati Museum, Groninger Museum, Vitra Design Museum, Alessi, and Bisazza, will be on display in the Triennale Cube.

The title of the exhibition Io sono un drago takes one of Alessandro Mendini’s most emblematic self-portraits and aims to highlight the complexity of his figure within the international design, architecture and art scene. The exhibition aims to restore Mendini’s gaze on the world, his empathy for everyday objects, and the mystery of poetry that manages to transform even the commonplace into a surprise that reveals the enchantment of the everyday.

The exhibition project, curated by Pierre Charpin, interprets the concept of the “dragon” as a set of themes characteristic of the “Mendini method”: a set of thematic islands that distinguish the various historical moments and, at the same time, the underground threads of continuity that give the apparent heterogeneity of his research an essential coherence, based on his own human experience. Upon entering the large room, visitors will be immersed in a single environment underscored by a large axis that ideally connects the Petite Cathédrale to the Tête Géante against the backdrop of Muzio’s staircase: a small architecture and a large head that exemplify Mendini’s work on different levels of perception.

The exhibition itinerary is developed through six distinct thematic nuclei: “Identikit”: Shows the series of self-portraits made by Mendini throughout his life, using different techniques and formats; “Gulliver’s Syndrome”: Presents a succession of out-of-scale objects, from the large dimensions of the Proust Armchair and the Petite Cathédrale, to the reductions of some of the projects made for Alessi; “Architectures.” Exhibits the architectural works of Atelier Mendini, including the Groninger Museum, the Mediazentrum Madsack in Hanover, the Naples Metro stations, and recent projects in South Korea such as the Olympic Stadium and the Posco district in Seoul; “Fragilisms.” Dedicated to the research that led to the manifesto of “fragilism,” conceived by Mendini at the invitation of the Fondation Cartier as a eulogy of the fragility of the earth in a world marked by war and violence; “Radical Melancholy.” Section dedicated to the years of radical design, in which Mendini was one of the main theorists; “Rooms”: Presents three of the rooms designed by Mendini, immersive environments that collect quotations, memories, dreams and nightmares. In addition, a documentary by Francesca Molteni tracing the life and work of Alessandro Mendini will be shown in the cinema room. The exhibition catalog, published by Electa and available in Italian and English, contains a record of the works on display, a wide selection of photographs of Mendini’s major projects, and a series of essays by international authors, along with testimonies from clients and friends who shared the artist’s creative and design adventures.

Alessandro Mendini (1931-2019), a multifaceted figure in architecture, design and art, left an indelible mark on the Italian and international cultural scene. Born in Milan, Mendini was not only a prolific creator of objects and environments, but also a thoughtful theorist and critic, contributing significantly to the renewal of Italian design. During his career, Mendini edited important architecture and design magazines, including “Casabella,” “Modo” and “Domus,” highlighting emerging trends and promoting new ideas in the field of design. His work and that accomplished with the Alchimia movement have received wide international recognition, with monographs published in several languages. Mendini has created a fairy-tale universe of objects, furniture, environments, paintings and architecture, characterized by a fusion of bold and innovative forms, colors and materials. His collaboration with international companies and his role as a consultant to various industries, especially in Asia, have helped to spread his creative vision globally. Recognized with numerous awards and honors, including three Compasso d’Oro for design and the prestigious European Prize for Architecture, Mendini has also received four Honoris Causa degrees in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the world of art and design. His work, characterized by a duality between a solitary, introverted approach and a penchant for group activity, has ranged from the creation of individual works to collaborative projects with groups he has established. In 1989 he founded Atelier Mendini together with his architect brother Francesco Mendini, with whom he has created iconic projects such as the Groningen Museum in the Netherlands and the Naples Metro Art Stations in Italy, leaving an indelible mark on the contemporary architectural scene.

Exhibition Partners Abet Laminati and Ramun, Media Partner Domus, Design and Architecture Partner Idealista, and Institutional Partners Lavazza Group and Salone del Mobile.Milano are supporting Triennale Milano for this exhibition.

Image: Interior of an interior, Proust furniture and objects in a room, Spazio Dilmos Milan, 1991 Project with Massimo Caiazzo, Maria Christina Hamel, Annalisa Margarini, Cristina Marino, Claudia Mendini, Franco Migliaccio, Jesus Moctezuma, Fabio Sergio Rotella, Sara Rossi. Environment clad in Proust laminate by Abet laminati. Photo Emilio Tremolada - Alessandro Mendini Archives

"I am a dragon": the true story of Alessandro Mendini on display in Milan.

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