Artnet Design

LELLA AND MASSIMO VIGNELLI, TITANS OF DESIGN
by Brook S. Mason

With the debut at the Italian Cultural Institute of “Timelessness,” June 4-July 13, 2012, a gem of a show devoted to the designs of Lella and Massimo Vignelli, the spotlight is on that duo’s oeuvre from the 1950s until today. While the work on display represents just a sliver of their prodigious, multidisciplinary output, this 18-example exhibition reflects the considerable reach of their practice. Both trained in architecture, they produced signage for the New York subway system, Bloomingdale’s ubiquitous brown paper bag, the Ford Motor Company corporate identity program (for which they received $1 million), a slew of dinnerware as well as lighting, and the Manhattan restaurant SD26, which is situated just north of Madison Square Park.

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