The ancient Greeks aspired to an ideal they called kalokagathia: a union of beauty and goodness that defines the scope of human perfection; an integration of the ethical and the aesthetic.
The concept of kalokagathia is at the heart of illy’s deep interest in the arts. For a company that pursues excellence in every facet, the search for beauty isn’t merely a nice thing to do, or a marketing exercise, but a cornerstone of corporate culture and decision-making.
illy's longstanding interest in the arts takes many forms. For one, in making important contributions to the creation and exposure of contemporary art, by supporting artists, institutions and international exhibitions. Illy’s collaborations with contemporary masters include Marina Abramovic, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Jannis Kounellis, Daniel Buren, Louise Bourgeois, Jeff Koons, Robert Rauschenberg, Joseph Kosuth, Jan Fabre, Sandro Chia, and James Rosenquist, creator of the iconic white brushstroke-on-red square illy logo.
In the realm of fine photography, an ongoing collaboration with celebrated humanist photographer Sebastião Salgado is chronicling the origins and peoples of coffee: a multi-nation story of sustainability brought to life through moving black and white images.
illy’s literary journal, illywords, brings the perspectives of great minds from a host of countries, cultures, professions and avocations to an international audience, giving readers pause to reflect in an often chaotic world. Illy’s involvement with literature also includes longstanding support of major industry events like Festivaletteratura Mantua.
Undoubtedly, the illy Art Collection stands as illy’s highest profile, ongoing cultural project. Transforming that most everyday of objects, the coffee cup, into small works of art, using ceramic cup as medium, the project has for 20 years elevated the simple pleasure of drinking an espresso into an experience that fully engages the senses and the mind. More than 70 contemporary masters have contributed designs, each adorning the signature, white porcelain illy cup introduced by Mattheo Thun in 1992. In 2006, the project expanded to another common if wonderfully unexpected medium, illy’s own coffee cans.
