Art and style has been of Italian meta-luxury brand Visionnaire’s currency and capital for decades. From its beginning as an artisanal workshop in Italy, specialising in bespoke woodwork, to its evolution into a global icon known for its furniture and interior design, it has been a journey of flair.
Since 2008, Visionnaire has embraced a philosophy of reimagining art within design, beginning with the ground breaking Foto Artisti d’Italia exhibition. This moment, where sculptural furniture was displayed alongside renowned works of photographers, enabled Visionnaire to reclaim luxury design. The intersection of art and design found a permanent home in 2011 with the inauguration of the Wunderkammer gallery, located within Visionnaire’s flagship store in Milan.
Over the years, Visionnaire has collaborated with legendary artists, drawing inspiration from the timeless nature of materials and narratives of history. The resulting creations have art embedded within canvases, the sculptures, furniture and decorative objects. “Each creation is not just a product but a narrative, telling stories of artistic exploration, emotional resonance, and meticulous attention to detail,” states the Italian tastemaker and Visionnaire’s art director and co-founder, Eleonore Cavalli.
For AD, Eleonore Cavalli picks nine of her favourite artistic collaborations over the years.
1. A Forest by artist extraordinaire Michele Astolfi evokes tactility with its subtle interplay of satin fabric and handmade embroidery. The canvas, with its composition of light, shadow, and fluidity, as well as the earthy tones, reminds a viewer of a natural sanctuary. Created in 2024, the visual depth and timelessness depicted in the canvas have been the archetype for Visionnaire’s collaboration with artists.
2. In 2022, Visionnaire forayed into the digital art realm with Apollo Belvedere, a collaboration with Jonathan Monaghan that bridges the physical and virtual worlds. The project began as an NFT, a symbol of cutting-edge digital design, and evolved into a physical marble bust. It was realised in marble from Carrara, Tuscany, a stone sourced since the Roman Empire and transported to Northern Italy, where it was meticulously carved into the divine god by Italian artisans. “It took months of physical labor to achieve the idealistic vision of texture, detail, and softness that Visionnaire and Monaghan imagined,” Cavalli shares.
3. Cattedrale N.105 by the artistic trio CaCo3, which was showcased at the Visionnaire booth during the Salone Del Mobile in 2023, combines cathedral glass, colouring oxides, mortar, and a wooden panel to create an evocative composition. The geometric precision and interplay of materials in the canvas echo a sacred, almost meditative aura.
4. The experiential piece, Parrot Fred from 2020, where hand-painted glass and Swarovski crystal create arresting rainbows of colour, is both playful and intimate. The Italian artist and designer Michele Astolfi creates an interesting dialogue with his signature fusion of whimsy and sophistication.
5. In the artwork Divinita Femminile, exhibited at the Wunderkammer in 2015, one can see traces of classical art in the way famous portrayer and photographer Olivier Roller uses light and a keen eye to awaken stories of glory, charisma, and passion.
6. Inverso 2 by CaCo3 was seen at the Visionnaire Booth at Salone Del Mobile in 2024. The artwork brings cathedral glass, colouring oxide, mortar, plywood, and iron together in a symphony of textures, revealing CaCo3’s mastery in transforming raw materials into profound visual narratives.
7. The Magician by Patrizia Zammarchi from 2023 is a digitally processed anthropomorphic artwork printed on satin fabric that exudes an enigmatic charm. Hand-made embroidery embellishes the fabric, adding texture and depth. Encased in a sleek metal frame, the piece blends technology and tradition, reflecting Zammarchi’s knack for pushing artistic boundaries.
8. Genesis by Swiss painter Conrad Jon Godly, created in 2017, reduces nature to its bare essence. Layers of bold brushstrokes and muted tones evoke the sublimity of the mountains and skies locked in a cosmic embrace. The restraint in his palette underscores a sublime stillness, inviting contemplation of humanity’s relationship with the natural world. “Abstraction is never far away in Godly’s paintings,” notes Cavalli.
9. The ivory tones in Cattedrale 121-122 by CaCo3 capture a purity reminiscent of sacred spaces, imbuing the piece with a quiet yet powerful presence. Enclosed in a brass frame, this artwork juxtaposes minimalist elegance with structural intricacy.
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