Gruppo Alchimia Cabinets

Cabinet Ollo Collection, glossy polyester lacquered wood panels, glossy white and black lacquered top and bottom discs, matte black lacquered interior, crystal shelves. Publication: A. Mendini e A. Guerriero, "Collezione Ollo", Catalogo Museo Alchimia 1988; Raffaella Poletti, Atelier Mendini "Una utopia visiva", Fabbri Editori 1992. Biography In 1976 Alessandro and Adriana Guerriero established Alchimia, the first example of manufacturing designers in Milan. In 1978 and 1979 they presented the Bau haus and Bau haus II collections. Lamps, armchairs, chairs, tables, cabinets, and so on. Artists involved: Alessandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass, Bruno and Giorgio Gregori, Michele De Lucchi, Andrea Branzi, UFO, Paola Navone, Daniela Puppa, Franco Raggi. The prevalent decorative material is laminated plastic. Alchimia’s culture, which is against the Italian design (Casabella magazine) changes the base of all previous design theories, resulting in a profound and radical change in the mindset of architects. Visual Alphabets, Redesign, Trivial Design, Cosmetics and Sentimental Robot are the slogans underlying the exuberant and vast production of Alchimia city. In the theoretical manifesto of the group, Alessandro Mendini writes “Alchimia is not interested in disciplines because they are considered to be within their rules. Indeed, it is important to look into the existing large free spaces between them. Alchimia weighs the assumption that conception and confused production methods should coexist where craftsmanship, manufacturing, information technology, techniques and current and obsolete materials can get mixed up. “They are handcrafted objects, recycled, mass, improbable, provocative, Kitsch, all very theory-laden. It operates and experiences in many sectors: the Pensione Ideale (Franco Raggi), the Copertine di Domus (Occhiomagico), the Abito Sonoro and the performance of Persone Dipinte (Anna Gili), the Stilismo della Moda (Cinzia Ruggeri...