Off-scale graphics suggest the transparency of silk, the lightness of draped fabric. They become abstract but familiar citations, realistic and surreal at the same time.

The graphics reprise, on a larger scale, the decorations of the six espresso cups designed by Ron Arad for the illy Art Collection, a collection in which the white surface of the porcelain has been interpreted, since 1992, by internationally acclaimed artists.

The illy cafe pays homage to Arad’s collection, presented here for the first time. The designer has played with the idea of what might be found near a cup, and with the memory of an item of table linens: an imaginary drape Arad has imprinted on the surface, a reminder of something functional, but now without a function.

The dark zones and areas of color seem transparent and form ripples, linking back to the work of Arad, who sees the folds as the combination of the design idea and what the material can embody. The decorations were drawn by hand by the designer with a digital stylus on a screen, seeking the meeting point between technology and crafts.

In the cafe, a series of display cases illustrate the pleasures of coffee: a little ritual that makes everyday life more enjoyable. To complete the installation, the Little Albert seats with chrome finish, designed by Ron Arad for Moroso.

Produced by illy with Moroso