Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

One of the most impressive venues in Milan is the Museo Bagatti Valsecchi that gallerist Rossana Orlandi used this year in order to curate an exhibition that masterfully mixes the old with the new in unexpected ways and sets contemporary furniture against the splendour of the ancient Palazzo.

Two Landlords and two Ladies, plus a magnificent Mansion created an Exhibition that opened up a dialogue between past and present trends.

Like one would do with a flower composition, 16 artists displayed their pieces in an untouched environment of blissful past beauty, developed over the centuries by a generous family who later wished to share their home with everyone.

Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi, together with patroness Goga Ashkenazi and Gallerist Rossana Orlandi who provided the creative inspiration for the event,  celebrated a new interpretation of a thread bridging the Past with the Contemporary spirit.

Entry Staircase with Nacho Carbonell- Chandelier

Maybe it is about the atmosphere unchanged over time, or maybe it’s about one of the most important house museums in Europe, or maybe it’s about the home of the family.

Whichever way you look at it, the exhibition was perhaps one of the most evocative of Design Week.

Rossana Orlandi revisited a contemporary apartment in 16th century style opened in 1883 by the brothers Fausto and Giuseppe Bagatti Valsecchi, who rebuilt from scratch a home that mirrored in every detail the culture of Italian Renaissance.

Far Right; Rossana Orlandi

In particular the dramatic works by Nacho Carbonell and the magnificent Chandelier inspired by Maison Vionnet  ( inspired by the iconic bias cut on dresses that Madeleine Vionnet invented in the early 20th century – and the historical fashion house’s signature blue colour) were the highlights.

The rooms hosted furniture pieces from Front Design, Studio Deform, Paul Heijnen, Niels Hoebers, Thomas Libertiny, Yukiko Nagai, Frederique Morrel, Dirk Van Der Kooij, Tom Dixon. Maarten Baas, Martin Smith, President Von Pelt, Enrico Marone Cinzano, Massimiliano Locatelli from CLS Architetti, Manuela Crotti and Giampiero Milella.

The taste of Rossana Orlandi joined together with the charm of the rooms and of the artisan tradition of Casa Bagatti Valsecchi, in a perfect synergy between old and contemporary.

From Home to Home, the endless and timeless journey of artworks and exquisite pieces that are made to last is marked by a softly inspirational beginning, as Rossana Orlandi cosily placed 14 chairs into the rooms of the Museum for the watchmen to rest and proving that beautiful objects never clash but rather nurture each other.

Nacho Carbonell – Vionnet Chandelier

The softly-flowing fluorescent cascade of the chandelier made by Nacho Carbonell for Vionnet welcomes visitors at the bottom of the sumptuous entrance staircase.

A rejuvenating feeling around a family museum and the beginning of a passionate endeavour.

“This magical meeting between a mythological past, crystallized into a Renaissance, utopian and visionary attention to contemporary, has created a new poetic language that celebrates grace and beauty.”

Museo Bagatti Valsecchi
Via Santo Spirito, 10