Alessandro Mendini was born in Milan in 1931. Through his work as an architect, designer, journalist, theorist and publisher, Mendini helped establish the Italian design sensibility on a global scale with a particular focus on neo-modern, avant-garde design as well as the crossover between art, design and architecture.
Mendini’s influential work spanned the arenas of graphics, furniture, interiors, architecture, stage design, writing and painting. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1959, and he began his career at the studio of artist-designer Marcello Nizzoli. He went on to become the publisher of the popular magazines Casabella (1970–76), Modo and Domus (each 1979–85).
In 1979, Mendini joined Ettore Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi as a partner at Studio Alchimia, a harbinger of the Memphis Group before he cofounded Domus Academy in 1982. In 1989, he and his brother Francesco established their architectural practice, Atelier Mendini, in Milan, where he worked until his death in February 2019. In recognition of his outstanding body of work, Mendini was awarded the Compasso d’Oro twice, in 1979 and 1981. He was also honored by the Architectural League of New York, made Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France, and, in 2014, he was awarded the European Prize for Architecture.
Mendini’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among others.
Find vintage Alessandro Mendini chairs, vases, table lamps and other furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by STUDIO CADMIUM)
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Model by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Superego Editions, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Ceramic Proust Monochrome Collection" designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Yellow color. Limited edition ...
Ceramic
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Model by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Superego Editions, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Ceramic Proust Monochrome Collection" designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Green color. Limited edition o...
Ceramic
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Model by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Alessandro Mendini, Superego Editions
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Proust-Decorate Collection", designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Limited edition of 35 copies. Signed an...
Ceramic
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Model by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Superego Editions, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Proust-Decorate Collection", designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Limited edition of 35 copies. Signed an...
Ceramic
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Metallic by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Superego Editions, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Ceramic Proust Metallic Collection" designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Limited edition of 45 copies. Si...
Ceramic
Ceramic Sculpture Proust Metallic by Alessandro Mendini for Superego Editions
By Superego Editions, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Asti, Piemonte
The famous Proust in miniaturized ceramic of the "Ceramic Proust Metallic" Collection" designed by Alessandro Mendini e produced by Superego Editions. Silver color. Limited edition o...
Ceramic
Alessandro Mendini Limited Edition Triglifo Ceramic Sculpture by Superego 2000s
By Superego, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Cascina, Pisa
Triglifo is an elegant statuette entirely realized in ceramic as a part of a 12 columns series designed by Alessandro Mendini and produced by Superego in th...
Ceramic
Magis Proust Italian Postmodern Outdoor Armchair by Alessandro Mendini, Blue
By Magis, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Alessandro Mendini, the Proust Armchair is one of the most celebrated icons of Italian Postmodern design. Originally created in 1978, this extraordinary armchair reinterp...
Plastic
Italian Postmodern Proust Geometrica Armchair Alessandro Mendini by Cappellini
By Alessandro Mendini, Cappellini
Located in Portland, OR
An iconic chair designed by Italian postmodern designer Alessandro Mendini (1931-2019). This wonderful postmodern work of art presented as a chair is in excellent condition and ready to display in your space. Proust was originally created in 1978 for the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara. It was immediately recognized as an icon of twentieth century design and one of the most renowned and essential reference points in the quest for form and aesthetic perfection. Cappellini inherited the piece in 1993 and today Proust Geometrica...
Fabric, Cotton, Upholstery, Foam, Beech, Paint
Magis Proust Italian Postmodern Outdoor Armchair by Alessandro Mendini, Green
By Alessandro Mendini, Magis
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Alessandro Mendini, the Proust Armchair is one of the most celebrated icons of Italian Postmodern design. Originally created in 1978, this extraordinary armchair reinterp...
Plastic
Magis Proust Italian Postmodern Outdoor Armchair - Alessandro Mendini Multicolor
By Alessandro Mendini, Magis
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Alessandro Mendini, the Proust Armchair is one of the most celebrated icons of Italian Postmodern design. Originally created in 1978, this extraordinary armchair reinterp...
Plastic
Magis Proust Italian Postmodern Outdoor Armchair by Alessandro Mendini, White
By Magis, Alessandro Mendini
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Alessandro Mendini, the Proust Armchair is one of the most celebrated icons of Italian Postmodern design. Originally created in 1978, this extraordinary armchair reinterp...
Plastic
Alessandro Mendini, Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass and other design luminaries contributed to this unusual collection of porcelain wares representing a time capsule of late-20th-century decorative art.
Aided by photos taken of the maestro in his Milan studio, we honor the influential design talent who died last month at 87.
