This post is also available in: Deutsch Français English
Since its launch, the famous Italian coffee company illy has at heart to celebrate quality, art and beauty. In 1992, the founders thought of a way to magnify coffee through art, to transform an everyday object into a blank canvas by inviting contemporary artists to express their creativity on the coffee cup originally designed by Matteo Thun for illy. You have it, the illy Art Collection was born.
In the heart of the Marais in Paris, at the famous Galleria Continua, illy unveiled the design of its new cups alongside the artist chosen for this new collection, Pascale Marthine Tayou. This new collection celebrates the 30 years of this artistic collaboration, during which 125 artists have had the opportunity to design their illy cup.
For Pascale Marthine Tayou collaborating with illy was not at first a straightforward process. Before accepting, he wanted to learn more about the history of illy to understand the intentions behind this marketing that did not seem to correspond to his philosophy as an artist. “I saw their human approach, their desire to celebrate beauty and deliver a positive message. I would have been wrong to remain rigid and refuse this beautiful collaboration,” the artist explained frankly on the day of the launch.
Carlo Bach, illy’s artistic director, who was present in Paris, recalled the importance of this collection in bringing contemporary art closer to everyone, “whether in bars or in the living rooms of homes. The choice of Pascale as the new artist was obvious for the team, “the artist being a very good example of positive energy and intelligence in his art”, says Carlo Bach.
To create this new design, Pascale Marthine Tayou went back into his memories. Those of a child born in a coffee-growing country (Cameroon), who watched his mother pick the fruit from the trees to sell it and earn a living. He wanted to go back to the basics, answering the question, how is coffee made? “This made me think about the history of coffee, from its cultivation, its harvesting, to its final consumption and inspired me.” says the artist.
The white cup was thus adorned with tree branches, at the end of which hang fruits of all colours. “These coloured circles are like lamps that light up in our brains when we drink our morning coffee, the one that starts the day,” reveals the artist. On each cup, the artist also wanted to imagine the faces of those who drink their coffee, through tribal, smiling and colourful masks. According to the artist, drinking coffee is a ritual, different for everyone but which often brings a kind of wonder, a positivity, which is reflected on everyone’s face.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the illy Art Collection, a book has just been published compiling the artistic collaborations since the launch. A great gift for the upcoming holidays.
More information: www.illy.com
Pictures: Illy