Art

illy and contemporary art. In pursuit of the ideal of good, goodness and beauty.

CONTEMPORARY ART

Good, goodness and beauty: the illy way

Kalòs kài agathòs – beauty and goodness – were the two aspects of perfection in Ancient Greek culture. And the concept that underpins illy’s rapport with art. The pursuit of excellence that brings together balance and elegance, beauty and goodness, ethics and aesthetics.

BRAND STORY

illy and James Rosenquist

Today’s logo was designed in 1996 by James Rosenquist, founder of the Sixties US Pop Art movement. One way to spotlight the strong bond between illy and the spirit of contemporary art.

ILLY ART COLLECTION

In 1992, Francesco Illy conceived the illy Art Collection: design espresso cups created by contemporary artists to turn coffee breaks into an art experience. Thus, the iconic Matteo Thun cup becomes a white canvas where creativity and taste meet.

illy Art Collection

The espresso cup becomes an artwork.

QUINN

PETRONE

GALIMBERTI

ARAD

ILLY AND THE VENICE BIENNALE

illy has been a Venice Biennale partner since 2003. For each edition we support art spaces and events: a coffee is so much more enjoyable in the company of artworks.

2019

The taste of art; the art of taste. Artists and Michelin-star chefs get their heads together and create immersive narratives in a series of dinner-events that taste of excellence.

2017

Robert Wilson designs an installation to celebrate 25 years of the illy Art Collection. A magical space of images, lights and sounds.

2015

Sebastião Salgado’s Scent of a Dream exhibition included images from his photo journey to coffee-producing countries.

SEBASTIÃO SALGADO FOR ILLY

Sebastião Salgado Scent of a Dream

Scent of a Dream is about a journey in coffee-producing countries, to share the importance of sustainability, narrated thanks to the most extensive reportage ever shot.

Discover

ILLY ART COLLECTIONS

DISCOVER OUR COFFEE CUPS