illy Caffè Launches illy Art Collection with Ron Arad

illy caffè launches its latest illy Art Collection featuring designs by world renowned architect, Ron Arad. The illy Art Collection is a series of coffee cups by artists that the Trieste-based company has produced since 1992. Some of the most prominent contemporary masters on the international art scene, along with emerging young talents, have transformed the everyday coffee cup for this series – in this case the white porcelain lily cup introduced by the architect and designer Matteo Thun – into a cult object.

The Ron Arad illy Art Collection was inspired by the spontaneous interaction of light silk fabric draping randomly on a cup and saucer. This inspiration resulted in a design that is both realistic and abstract, a reference to something functional, but without actually being functional. With the use of sinuous lines, this design combines Ron Arad’s desire and everything that materials can offer. The cup collection features six abstract designs representative of Arad’s contemporary design style, available in sets of six espresso cups, two espresso cups, six cappuccino cups and two cappuccino cups.

Ron Arad is a Tel Aviv born architect and designer known for his experimentation with materials, forms, and structures. His design work can be found in a variety of museums and gallery collections across the world including Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the Vera Design Museum in Germany and architectural projects include the Tel Aviv Opera house, Belgo restaurants in London, the development of a project for a Sport Café with cutting edge interactive audio and video technology for Adidas and Kronenbourg – a high-tech private residence in London. Ron Arad’s designs have been selected for the new Adidas Stadium in Paris, as well as the Maserati showroom in Modena.

A preview of the Ron Arad illy Art Collection will be in Milan at the Salone del Mobile from April 4-9 alongside his installation in the Courtyard of Honour of the State University of Milan. The Ron Arad illy Art Collection cups are available for purchase online at www.illyusa.com and at illy caffè coffee bars and shops.

Pricing:

• Six espresso cups: $150
• Two espresso cups: $55
• Six cappuccino cups: $175
• Two cappuccino cups: $60