Past editions
Past editions
New York City (Sept.-Dec 2005)
Galleria illy originated in September, 2005 in New York’s Soho art district. Amidst exquisite surroundings, New Yorkers and visitors from other American cities and countries – a truly international audience – experienced illy as never before, in a first-of-its kind place, where a discussion by the likes of trailblazing performance artist Marina Abramovic could be enjoyed over an intimate cup of coffee…the world’s finest, prepared by the world’s finest baristas.
Over its three-month run, Galleria illy NYC fast became a prime destination to sit back, relax -- perhaps browse through its trove of modern art books -- while savoring the pleasures of fine coffee and specially-created cuisine. All amidst the works and words of artists the likes of James Rosenquist and Julian Schnabel; the strikingly dramatic black and white photos of Sebastião Salgado; works by emerging artists from Parsons School of Design; performances by top musical talent; discussions led by leading designers and other opinion-makers, and more.
For budding connoisseurs, there were sold-out classes on coffee history, chemistry, agronomy, tasting and preparation, custom developed for Galleria illy by Università del Caffè, illy’s global coffee education institute, and a provocative, original work of performance art (named “28 seconds” – the ideal extraction time for espresso), conjuring coffee’s rich and surprising cultural heritage.
Milan (Dec. 2006)
The showroom of Moroso, a leading interior design firm in Brera, Milan’s renowned art district, housed the second edition of the Galleria illy. Over one intense, event-packed month, this second Galleria was home to exciting encounters with international cultural icons and emerging voices; as in New York City, in a space unforgettably, distinctly illy, where world-leading baristas delighted guests with the world’s finest coffee.
Visitors craving a little stimulation, or relaxation – perhaps a little of both -- dropped in and browsed lavishly illustrated art and design books from Charta, surrounded by signature items from illy’s own venerable art collection, lingering over an espresso, cappuccino or an espresso-based beverage specially created for Galleria illy Milan.
Prominent among this Galleria’s not-to-be-missed firsts was a preview of renowned social documentary photographer Sebastião Salgado’s magnificent photo reportage of Guatemala’s coffee producers. Among other special guests and events, comprising a nonstop, four-week schedule, were Taiwanese artist Michael Lin, known for brilliant explorations of how people come to understand space, and designer of a provocative series of espresso cups for the illy art collection; Rigoberta Menchù, the Nobel laureate; Marina Abramović, the groundbreaking performance artist; visionary designers Patricia Urquiola, Ross Lovegrove and Ron Arad; renowned artist Michelangelo Pistoletto and his foundation’s to-be-renowned students; and Welsh film-maker Peter Greenaway, known for taking visual inspiration from Renaissance and Flemish art.
Trieste (Sept.-Oct. 2008)
Honoring illy’s 75th anniversary, the company’s own hometown of Trieste, a seaport city nestled along Italy’s northeast coast, hosted Galleria Illy’s third edition in 2008. Situated on the Adriatic near Italy’s border with Slovenia, Trieste held more than hometown appeal as a Galleria illy location; it is among Europe’s rich cultural crossroads, with marked Germanic, Latin and Slavic influences.
Galleria illy’s Trieste home was the vast auction hall of the city’s former pescheria (fish market), which hosted a lavish array of art, literature, science and fine-food events – a celebration of a company, a family and a place where coffee and culture intersect.
Major events included a viewing of select photos from Sebastião Salgado’s visually striking In Principio (“In the Beginning”), the photo documentary project commissioned by illy to honor the men and women who grow raw coffee, spanning Brazil, India, Ethiopia and Guatemala, and capturing the rhythm and personalities of coffee growing and the rate of one nation per year.
The Galleria’s Trieste edition played daily host intellectual leaders from art, literature, design, film and cuisine, who exchanged (on occasion, debated) views with visitors. Special guests included filmmaker Peter Greenaway; designers Patricia Urquiola and Jonathan Levian; writers Flavio Soriga and Davide Longo; journalist and writer Roberta Corradin; writer Giuseppe Cederna, joined by renowned Sicilian confectioner Corrado Assenza; reporter Paolo Rumiz; the bard of chocolate, Gianluca Franzoni; and many others.
