FONTANA SOTHEBY'S
Italian Modern Masters: 20th Century Italian Art at Sotheby's Date: 22 Sep 2007
LONDON - Sotheby’s annual 20th Century Italian Art Sale
is now approaching the 9th consecutive year.
Since 1999 eight Italian sales have been hold in London,
till the 98,5% sold by value reached in the last year’s auction.
In the days of the travelling exhibition of works from the 9th Italian Sale in Milan, Sotheby’s Milan will host a special
exhibition of dresses realized in the 60s by some major
Italian modern artists: Fontana, Pomodoro, Baj and
Lucio Del Pezzo.
In Spring 1961 in Milan a group of artists – but above all
a group of friends, among whom Lucio Fontana, Baj, etc -
were ‘challenged’ by mrs Bruna Bini, (the owner of one of
the most famous dressmaker’s workshop in the fashionable
Via Montenapoleone, Milan) to design a lady fashion collection,
then called “Models-Forms-Ideas”.
The collection was funny and surreal, a ‘divertissement’ but
too flamboyant for the classic fashion taste of that period.
Mrs Bini received very few requests from clients but most of
them came from abroad.
Lucio Fontana’s dresses were appreciated by Iris Clert, the
famous Parisian dealer and Yves Klein’s agent and she
ordered some dresses for her and one for Brigitte Bardot,
the actress.
Now some of these creations coming from the collection of
Gentucca Bini – the fashion designer and heir of mrs Bruna
Bini will be exhibited at Palazzo Broggi: 6 dresses dated 1961
and signed by Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Lucio Del Pezzo and
Arnaldo Pomodoro.
