Quadrum Saca 2009

QUADRUM SACA MAINTAINS ITS POSITION AS THE WORLD’S TOP MOULDINGS, FRAMES, GRAPHICS AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES EXHIBITION

Between 19th and 22nd February, some 5,855 trade professionals (of whom 1,912 foreigners from 72 countries) entered the gates of the Bologna Exhibition Centre to visit the twenty-seventh edition of QUADRUM SACA showcasing the products of 194 companies (of which 102 foreigners from 26 different countries) fromg the mouldings, frames, graphics and related technologies field.

QUADRUM SACA 2009 Gallery

There was satisfaction and relief amongst exhibiting companies who, despite the current international economic situation, over the four days of the event, succeeded in acquiring a great many important business contacts. “It went very well”, commented Giulio Cesare Alberghini, chairman of O.N. Organizzazione Nike, “The companies feared that there would have been a reduction in business opportunities but they were able to do good business, because the visiting public was highly specialised.”

Great interest was aroused by The Walls of Desire exhibition, directed by architect Laura Villani, which on an area of over 1,500 m², hosted innovative wall decoration concepts created by some of the biggest names in international fashion, design, art and music. More than 40 artists were involved in the settings and installations on show, providing the design world with a novel take on the use of frames. Quadrum Saca exhibited solutions for all types of interiors, from residential construction to the contract sector. One highlight was the bar created by Renzo Arbore and set designers Licheri and Alida Cappellini: witty, colourful and full of plastic, with walls covered in oversize Plexiglas playing cards serving as both decorative features and sources of light. The irony of designer Elio Fiorucci transformed a dental surgery into a cosy and fun place, decorated in shades of shocking pink and with giant ceramic mouths. And a reclining chair in the shape of a pair of lips and a tongue. Next to the playful wit of Fiorucci and Arbore, space was dedicated to the hyperfemininity of Luisa Longo, who created a comfortable, intimate environment with silk and multicoloured ribbons, a highly inspired boudoir. Then came space dedicated to the spirit, with Sebastiano Mauri’s chapel. The artist had created a room intended for meditation and prayer for followers of all religions. This was the concept underlying the creation of a mystical and modern place, where Buddha rubs shoulders with Mary and Baby Jesus, innovative materials and technology combine with natural elements. An unusual idea for hotels with an international clientele. The frame, undisputed protagonist of the exhibition, demonstrated all its versatility and its great value as an element of wall decoration, both with and without a work of art. The Walls of Desire exhibition was possible thanks to the collaboration of fashion designers Mariuccia Mandelli Krizia, Elio Fiorucci, Ottavio Missoni and Luisa Longo, designers Alessandro Mendini, Mario Bellini, Karim Rashid, Marie Brandolini d’Adda, Denis Santachiara, Andrea Rauch, Massimo Iosa Ghini, Stefano Giovannoni, Roberto Fallani and Pietro Del Vaglio, photographers Claudio Porcarelli, Beatrice Serpieri and Ivano Cheli, artists Fabrizio Corneli, Paola Crema, Francesco Cuomo, Fabio De Poli, Xiao Fan Ru, Roberto Floreani, Luca Lanzi, Marco Lodola, Paola Martelli, Sebastiano Mauri, Patrizia Medail, Davide Nido, Carla Tolomeo, Gianmaria Potenza, musicians Renzo Arbore and Andy Bluvertigo, set designers Alida Cappellini, Mario Ceroli and Giovanni Licheri, the sculptor Urano Palma and the show-girl Eva Robins.

Attention to design, a highly international spirit, a vast spectrum of styles, finishes and materials: these were the elements that characterised the exhibits of the three thematic shows: FRAMES, GRAPHICS and TECHNOLOGIES AND ACCESSORIES, consolidating QUADRUM SACA’s status as the most authoritative world observatory of wall decor trends.