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| Enrico Paulucci delle Roncole (1901-1999), Barche (Boats) tapestry, c.1953 |
Happy New Year dear readers. Although the battle is far from over, somehow we managed to make it through to 2021. Let's hope for as swift a return to normal as possible this year so that good exhibitions like this can be enjoyed once again. It had been quite some since I had last visited the Estorick Collection in Islngton. Having been greatly influenced in my own work by Bauhaus textiles earlier last year (here) though, I was looking for further inspiration through fabric design. I was drawn (between lockdowns) then to return to the Estorick on this occasion for Italian Threads: MITA Textile Design 1926 - 1976, the exhibition of the archives of Italian textile company MITA (Manifattura Italiana Tappeti Artistici) currently on display. MITA (Italian Artistic Rug Manufacturer) was founded in 1926 by Mario Alberto Ponis in Genoa, who was interested in merging new technologies with traditional Italian crafts in the manufacture of hand-knotted carpets. From the outset MITA was renowned for its innovative collaborations with the best of Italian artists and designers. These collaborations proved fruitful and read like a who's who of the cream of Italian creativity - Gio Ponti, Ettore Sottsass jr and Fortunato Depero. These artists and designers reflected modern, cutting edge trends in their designs for MITA coming from avante-garde movements such as Futurism, Rationalism and Novecento. Genoa is a port city and many of MITA's commissions were from shipping companies eager to have their luxurious ocean liners kitted out with the latest in a range of textiles. MITA exhibited their wares at major exhibitions such as world fairs, and as well as producing rugs their range included carpets, tapestries, printed fabrics and scarves all represented in this interesting and inspiring exhibition. On display are numerous textile designs, their developmental sketches, swatches and original artwork. The midcentury MITA textile designs from the 1950s and 60s were the ones which held my attention most. The large tapestries verging on complete abstraction were particularly impressive. Viewing this exhibition I was reminded of the wonderful exhibition of Josef Frank's textile designs seen at the Fashion and Textile Museum (here) a few years ago.
Italian Threads: MITA Textile Design 1926 - 1976
until 17th January 2021
Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art
39a Canonbury Square
London
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