Editor’s Note: At a time when news of Northern Italy, specifically Milan, has been so disheartening, due to this pandemic that has hit this great country particularly hard, causing such global anxiety, it is a relief to be able to visit our Museum of Fine Arts Houston to see a sampling of the creative art that makes this area of Italy so special………..
So, if you are planning to stay around this Spring Break or just need to take a another kind of break from all of your Rodeo plans for a couple of hours…..the perfect place for you that is just a few Metro stops away from NRG, is our wonderful Museum of Fine Arts Houston. There are actually several exhibits happening there at the moment……….Radical: Italian Design, Francis Bacon: Late Paintings and The Glory of Spain. However, the one that I am talking to today that I have now seen three times and has sparked my interest is Radical: Italian Design, 1965-1985, the exhibit of Italian furniture and design, that MFAH has secured as the first U.S. Museum Exhibition in nearly 50 years to survey this pivotal movement in Design History.
If you are a lover of all things Italian and it’s not just Gucci, Prada or Fendi, then you must know what a mecca of furniture design Italy, specifically Milan, is today. This exhibit provided through a partnership with Dennis Freedman over a casual conversation he and our Museum Director, Gary Tinterow had awhile back, is a stunning look at contemporary/pop art culture at its best. For those of you, like myself, that have spent many a year in the fashion business, you may recall that Dennis Freedman was the founding Creative Director of W Magazine and later a force behind the now deceased Barney’s New York creative hierarchy. His taste is exquisite and his selection of pieces are examples of that.
A few facts about this amazing exhibit:
- This is the first major U.S. Museum to assess this now-iconic movement from a historical perspective nearly 50 years after MoMA’s defining 1972 survey.
- This exhibit presents almost 70 pieces of furniture, lighting design, architectural models, paintings and objects (half are gifts from Dennis Freedman and half are acquisitions from his collection)
- In addition, Freedman has lent more than a dozen objects to the exhibition. Together, the gifts and acquistions establish a foundational collection for the Museum.
“Radical Design was a movement instigated by university students, who sparked critical dialogues about art, design, and society. This is an extraordinary opportunity for our institution to share this unrivaled collection with this next generation of architects and designers. We are grateful to Dennis Freedman for making this possible, through his gifts to the MFAH and the acquisition of key objects from his collection,” said Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Please note: If you are looking to learn more about this exhibit and this movement in Italian design history, there is a class, which is including a tour at MFAH, being offered by the Italian Cultural and Community Center. For details, please click on this link: http://www.iccchouston.com/survey-of-italian-design/
Roz, I’m so happy that you wrote about the Radical: Italian Design exhibit. I loved it too and I want everyone to see it. I was in the fashion business for years too in New Orleans and Italy, especially Milan, is such a hub for innovation. I was excited to see the MOFAH step up and showcase it.
I love your posts,
Terri Romano
Thanks so much Terri, it is a great exhibit and I, too, am so happy that this came together for our city. We are lucky to have MFAH here as it does many great exhibits!!!