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First painter, then explosive interior designer, the late Joe Colombo became a symbol of Italian design. In just a decade he created and executed over 300 projects. Little interested by theoretical diatribes, Colombo remained attuned to developments in the technological sector. A key creative force on the Italian design front in the 60's, many of his works can now be found in the permanent collections of big museums such as MOMA (New York), Stedelijk (Amsterdam) and Philadelphia Museum of Art. |
| Joe Colombo's life was sadly brief, only some 40 years, yet it was a life driven by extraordinary resources of energy. Born in Milano in 1930, he attended the Brera and the Facoltà di Architettura; even as a very young man he was befriended by the painters Enrico Baj and Sergio Dangelo, with whom he frequented Milano's jazz clubs and wine bars. In 1961, he opened a studio and worked away in his typically frenetic manner. By 1964, he had already won the In Arch prize for the interior design of the Hotel Parientol. Also in '64, he was awarded three medals at the Triennale di Milano, including one gold for his collaborative efforts with brother Mauro. In 1968 he won the International Award in Chicago his lamp Coupé Cilindrica O. Luce, which is now part of the MOMA's permanent collection. Within a few short years, he managed to set off a remarkable number of creative flares before his untimely death on July 30,1971. Just one year later, New York's MOMA hosted an exhibition entitled "Italy: The New Domestic Landscape", curated by Emilio Ambasz, which featured both his inventions and his designs for futuristic furnishings, two project vital to the evolution of Italian design. |
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