For the next six weeks, thanks to the 50th anniversary of “I Saloni di Milano," New York has a new map. It is an all-Italian map of the streets of Manhattan re-designed by “Italian Design Street Walking," the event organized by ITC, along with Federlegno-Arredo [2] and Cosmit [3].

It was presented by the Italian Trade Commission at the Scavolini’s showroom, which for the special occasion attracted a large public made up of insiders, press and special guests.  This is an important coordinated campaign, explained ITC’s president Ambassador Umberto Vattani, who, together with the Director if ITC [4] - New York Aniello Musella, president of Cosmit Carlo Guglielmi, and president of Federlegno-Arredo Rosario Messina, presented a series of extremely relevant events for the promotion of the Italian image in New York, which will continue through January 8, 2011.

“After the Italian Design and Architecture Week held in Shanghai last fall, and after the exhibition ‘The Italy of the Cities’ held in the Italian Pavillion of Shanghai’s Expo and Moscow’s Crocus – said Vattani – we aim at New York. New York’s Italian Trade Commission worked very hard and carefully in choosing the places for this great moment for Italian design and culture”.
 

And the amount of cultural events presented is unquestioned, with Robert Wilson [5]’s installation “Perchance to Dream” by the artist and director Robert Wilson with Roberto Bollè [6] and Peter Greenaway [7]’s revisiting of Leonardo’s “Last Supper”.

Artemide, B&B Italia, Boffi, Cesana, Fontana Arte, Flos, Flou, Poltrona Frau, Giorgetti, Glas Italia, Kartell, La Murina, Lualdi, Luce, Plan, Matteograssi, Molteni & C., Dada, Pedini, Poliform Verenna and Tre P & Tre Più, we be presenting their design through special events and will offer various discounts to their clients.

“Furnishing objects Made in Italy – added the president of IT– will find more and more space, as well as in the projects of architects and interior designers, for precious private residences and restructurings of great hotels that, during these difficult economic times, are aiming at a more personalized offer”.

According to Aniello Musella the close relationship with art and culture is even more rewarding when it is about design. “The objective is commercial – he said – but we propose an Italian life style, the culture, creativity and also lots of technology and research. It is a package.

And one mustn’t forget that when we talk about Italian design it’s easy to only think about creativity, but that’s not all there is. One mustn’t forget the technology and research. Not enough is said about this. Foreign designers turn to Italian technicians to create design prototypes. We have the capacity to elaborate new technologies that are the result of a constant research.

During the event we had a pleasant chat with Ambassador Vattani.

Following are some interesting points he made.

“If there is one unifying factor in our country, about which the political system can display a cultural diplomacy and a configured image of togetherness, it is the Made in Italy.

Everyone recognizes themselves in the Made in Italy, producers, consumers, those who travel abroad; to the point that ICE is publishing map of New York, as it will do in Moscow and the other cities, which will not only include the Red Square, or the Empire State, Chrysler, or Flat Iron Building, but will include all the showrooms that make New York a city whose lifestyle is largely derived from the Italian lifestyle.
 

But how did this happen? It was the Italians who would go to America in search of something, not the other way around. In 1992, five hundred years after the discovery of America, ICE and Park Avenue Armory presented the Piazza of Italy that read, “five hundred years ago an Italian discovered this country” – “five hundred years later this country discovers Italy”, and Piazza Italia followed a the largest and most beautiful exhibit on design ever organized by a contemporary art museum like MoMA.
 

And Italy also changed the ways of life of Americans. Even Italian chairs, tables and silverware have become desirable objects that influence the lifestyle that therefore transform the relationship with reality. And if this desire doesn’t transform your way of feeling the relationship with reality it doesn’t influence the lifestyle.

So if it must be casual wear it means that glasses are casual, where you sit must be different from the serious place, the severe one, and so on. So we began to invent lifestyles that make it vital to have a bottle of Italian wine when at the table, and spread the notion of Parmisan cheese, and the fact that it contributes enormously to your natural well-being.

Italy made it happen, and among all the European countries, it is the most influential”.

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“Leonardo’s Last Supper: A Vision by Peter Greenaway” opens at the Park Avenue Armory [8].
“Perchance to Dream,” with video portrait of the Italian ballet star Roberto Bolle  by the artist and director Robert Wilson, opens at Center 548 in Chelsea [9]