TRIESTE, Italy, July 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The paths of Barcolana
56, presented by Generali, and Stefan Sagmeister meet through
illycaffè, which has chosen to support Barcolana again in 2024
by celebrating it with an artist's poster. Following collaborations
with Michelangelo Pistoletto (2015), Gillo Dorfles (2016),
Maurizio Galimberti
(2017), Marina Abramović (2018),
Olimpia Zagnoli
(2019), Lorenzo Mattotti (2020),
Ron Arad (2021), Matteo
Thun (2022), and Judy Chicago
(2023), illycaffè has teamed up with one of the most important
designers of our time, Stefan
Sagmeister, for the poster of the 56th edition of the
event. This collaboration allows Barcolana to celebrate the
event's theme, 'Energie Positive' (Positive Energies), through
art.
![illy logo (PRNewsfoto/illycaffè) illy logo (PRNewsfoto/illycaffè)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1996837/illycaffe__illy__Logo.jpg)
illycaffè saw an alignment between the title of this edition of
the regatta and the work of Sagmeister, and proposed that he
narrate the event through the lens of 'Beautiful Numbers' and from
the perspective of 'Long Term Thinking'. The poster thus
intertwines an infographic with an ancient
oil painting depicting a woman. The artist chose
to reproduce sails of different
colours, connecting with the 'Positive Energies' theme chosen
by Barcolana, and of different sizes to
represent the evolution of participation in
Barcolana over the last 54 years. The
female figure, on the other hand, recalls the progress over time
of the role of women in sailing competition, from a simple
spectator, as it was a century ago in the main internationally
renowned regattas, to a great protagonist as it is today in
Barcolana, thanks also to the "Women in Sailing" initiative,
which Barcolana will continue vigorously over the next three years with the support of presenting partner
Generali.
The creation of the work stems from the artistic inspiration
that has driven Sagmeister over the years. Between April and
May 2021, during the Covid era, the
Thomas Erben Gallery in New York
hosted Sagmeister's exhibition 'Beautiful Numbers'. This
exhibition aimed to provoke thought about the world's positive
developments when viewed from a long-term perspective, using
visualizations that contextualize phenomena over decades
or centuries. To illustrate societal
improvement, Sagmeister creates infographics, real
works of design, capable of narrating the evolution of a series
of phenomena over the long term, graphics that he 'leans' on old
paintings. The exhibition's success stemmed from its ability to
present positive 'reminders' and emphasize focusing on happiness
despite external challenges, as a mindset for personal
improvement and striving toward a better future.
The project evolved over time, culminating in the 2023 with
the third installation on 'Long Term thinking', entitled 'Now is
Better', in continuity with the abstract compositions within
historical paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries.
This artistic approach finds full coherence in the poster for
the 56th edition of Barcolana, aligning perfectly with the event's
concept.
'This year's theme, 'Positive
Energies', is not about naively
ignoring the negative
aspects around us but about
encouraging thoughts and actions
to look to the future
with optimism. Stefan
Sagmeister's poster, - said Mitja
Gialuz, President of the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano - is an
extraordinary artistic synthesis of past positive energies that
have allowed
Barcolana to grow beyond what was imaginable fifty years ago and future
projects that invite new ideas from participants, Trieste, and our
partners. Art and design, as seen in past
Barcolana editions, can guide us, offering a clear vision
of what we can achieve
together. I thank illycaffè for this manifesto
that both artistically summarizes our journey and inspires our
commitment to improving Barcolana.'
'We proudly renew our support for Barcolana through our
connection with the art world. This year we entrusted the creation
of the poster to one of the most acclaimed contemporary artists,
Stefan Sagmeister. -
stated Cristina
Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè -
The result is a work of design:
an infographic that tells the story of
Barcolana through the development of the number of its members from
1969 to 2023. The artist wanted to
create a dialogue between
colored sails and an antique
oil painting representing a nineteenth-century woman
dressed to the nines, in which illycaffè and Barcolana have
recognized a further message, linked to the evolution of the role
of women in the world of sailing and beyond.'
'Barcolana embodies the concept of positive progress, closely
aligning with my artistic vision. - explained
Stefan Sagmeister - I aimed to combine
significant historical data from the regatta's history with the
eclectic medium of an ancient oil painting to bridge past and
present, telling a story of evolution and offering an encouraging
message for today.'
Barcolana is scheduled
for 13 October 2024 in the Gulf of Trieste,
starting at 10:30 a.m., preceded by events
on land and at sea from 4 October.
Stefan Sagmeister,
acclaimed designer of Austrian origin and two-time Grammy award
recipient, boasts an illustrious career and a diverse
portfolio spanning commissioned design projects, book
publications, films, exhibitions, and public installations.
Sagmeister's work is featured in
eminent international institutions such as MoMA New York,
the Philadelphia Museum
of Art, Art Institute of Chicago, SFMoMA,
and MAK Vienna; his impressive roster of
clients includes the Guggenheim Museum, the Rolling Stones, and
HBO. In recent years, Sagmeister has shifted focus to explore
themes of happiness, beauty, and human progress. Reflecting
this intentional shift, his latest collection of works showcases
'Beautiful Numbers' to illustrate improvements in human
development over time, offering visitors an optimistic and
inspiring message that 'Now is Better'.
Barcolana is the Largest Sailing Race in the World, held
annually in Trieste on the second Sunday of October. Organised in
partnership with the Municipality of Trieste, the Friuli
Venezia Giulia Region, the main sponsor Generali, and the support
of numerous partners, the event saw a
record 2,869 registered boats in its 50th edition
on Sunday, 14 October 2018. This set a new world record
for a sailing regatta, earning
a place in the Guinness World Records. The
fiftieth edition attracted over 300,000 people to Trieste,
confirming it as one of the most attended events in Italy, with
global media coverage. In 2022, the regatta was won for the first
time by a boat with a female skipper, the American Wendy Schmidt, who participated with her "Deep Blue" with the dual aim of promoting women's roles in sailing and raising awareness
about the need to protect
the environment. The 55th edition of the
regatta took place from 29 September to 8
October 2023, supported for the first time by World Sailing,
the international sailing federation. Together
with Barcolana, they promote participation, inclusion, and sustainability, as well as 'Women in Sailing', a leadership development project
for women in sailing inspired by the presenting partner Generali.
The 2023 edition was won by Arca, skippered by Furio Benussi.
illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste
in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the
best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica
blend composed of 9 different ingredients. The company selects only
1% of the best Arabica
beans. Every day more than 8 million cups of
illy coffee are served in over 140 countries around the globe, in
the cafés, restaurants and hotels, in single-brand cafés
and shops, at home and in the office, in which the company is present through
subsidiaries and distributors. Since its foundation, illycaffè
has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model,
commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of
Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee
company to obtain the international B Corp certification.
Everything that is "made
in illy" is about beauty and art, the founding
principles of the brand, starting from its logo, designed by artist
James Rosenquist, up to illy Art
Collection cups, decorated by over 130 international artists, or
coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers.
With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers,
baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its
Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 23 countries
around the world. In 2023, the company had a turnover of
€595,1 million. The illy single-brand network has 159 points of
sale in 30 countries.
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