Radical: Italian Design 1965–1985, The Dennis Freedman Collection

Radical: Italian Design 1965–1985, The Dennis Freedman Collection

by Cindi Strauss (Author), Germano Celant (Contributor), Marissa S. Hershon (Contributor), & 2 more

A critical new look at design philosophy that examined modern living in the context of Italy’s turbulent political landscape in the 1960s.

Young Italian architects and designers started creating a new style that openly questioned Modernism in the mid-1960s in response to current social and political upheaval. This movement, known as “Radical Design,” looked into ways to change the urban environment visually. The proponents of radical design also applied it to furniture and lighting, using unconventional materials and a novel formal vocabulary.

Nearly 70 objects and architectural models, including rare prototypes and limited-production pieces, are featured in Radical: Italian Design 1965–1985, which examines these pioneering designers’ work. Cindi Strauss delves into the aesthetic inspiration and shifting cultural norms that fueled the movement. Her findings were complemented by an essay by Germano Celant, the renowned author and curator who coined the word “Radical design.”

The book also contains seven interviews with radical designers and architects, providing new insights into the people at the forefront of this revolutionary movement.

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