ILLYCAFFÈ, A PARTNER OF THE LEADING CONTEMPORARY ART FAIRS INTRODUCES IN PARIS THE ILLY ART COLLECTION DESIGNED BY PASCALE MARTHINE TAYOU

PARIS, Oct. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- illycaffè, the global coffee brand renowned for its sustainable quality and for its privileged relationship with the world of contemporary art, is the official partner of Asia Now and of Paris Internationale, two of the world's most important international contemporary art fairs.

Paris Internationale, the international art fair dedicated to young people, will run from October 19^th to 23^rd in the former studio of the French photography pioneer Nadar and will host galleries from 26 countries and dialogues between key players in world.

Asia Now, which for the first time will be held at the centrally located Musée de la Monnaie, will run from October 20^th to 23^rd and host exhibitions, installations and talks promoted by 75 galleries representing contemporary art in Central Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. 

Visitors and exhibitors at Paris Internationale and Asia Now will be able to enjoy both the good and the beautiful by enjoying an illy coffee in the illy Caffè spaces designed to feature the motifs from the new illy Art Collection signed by Pascale Marthine Tayou.

In order to decorate the illy Art Collection's cups and cans, Pascale Marthine Tayou chose a color palette that recalls African landscapes: the stylized mask leaning against a tree whose every branch has eggs growing on them symbolizes birth and creation, while the collection as a whole ponders the great issues of our time: conflicts, environmental sustainability, globalization and immigration.

The collection represents an ideal continuation of the celebrations of the 30^th anniversary of the illy Art Collection, a project launched in 1992 through which illycaffè has transformed an everyday object – a white espresso cup into one of the largest contemporary art collections in the world – a collection that is accessible to anyone.

"We are proud to be partners with Paris Internationale and Asia Now, two of the world's leading contemporary art fairs, which have funneled toward Paris the very best of the culture and creativity of several continents – says Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè, who continues – for many years now, illycaffè has supported the contemporary art world, because it believes it to be the creative expression that best represents its corporate culture, a culture that integrates the aesthetic and ethical dimensions, and that expresses itself through the union of the good and the beauty".

For illycaffè – whose brand core values are Good, Goodness, and Beauty – contemporary art combines beauty and taste. The beauty that illycaffè pursues is inspired by the ancient Greek concept of kalokagathìa, which combines kalòs (that which is beautiful) with agathòs (that which is good) to create a new meaning in which beauty and goodness meld into each other seamlessly.
The cups that comprise the illy Art Collection are a tangible expression of this concept. The project has made it possible for the company to turn a white espresso cup, designed by Matteo Thun specifically for illy, into a blank canvas on which the invited contemporary artists have been able to express their creativity. Over the years, this 'blank canvas' has featured works by over one hundred internationally renowned artists, including Michelangelo Pistoletto, Marina Abramović, Anish Kapoor, James Rosenquist, William Kentridge, Yoko Ono, Gillo Dorfles, Robert Wilson, Ai Weiwei and many others.

illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933. Its mission has always been to offer the best coffee to the world. Illycaffè produces a unique 100% Arabica blend, combining 9 of the best varieties in the world, selected by illycaffè: every day 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. As a result of its innovations, illycaffè contributes to the coffee technology progress at global level. In 1991, the "Premio Ernesto Illy de qualidade sustentavel do cafè para espresso" was launched in Brazil for quality espresso coffee. Illycaffè has contributed to the sharing of the know-how, paying growers a premium price for the best quality selected by illycaffè. Since 2016, with the "Ernesto Illy International Coffee Award", the company has celebrated coffee growers all over the world that, according to illy, have produced the best sustainable coffee. Since 2013, the company has been in the list of the World Most Ethical Companies. In 2019, it enhanced its commitment to pursue a sustainable business model integrating the interest of people with the environment, adopting the status of Società Benefit (Benefit Company) and adding this commitment into its own bylaws. In 2021, illycaffè was the first Italian company in the coffee sector to obtain the international certification as B Corp as a result of its commitment to comply with the highest standards of social and environmental performance. The company also founded the University of Coffee, which has the objective of sharing culture at all levels, offering a comprehensive and practical training to growers, baristas and coffee lovers. 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 120 international artists. In 2021, the company had 1305 employees and a turnover of about €500 million. There are 205 illy single-brand shops in over 40 countries all over the world. In 2021, Rhone Capital became a minority shareholder of illycaffè with the aim of contributing to the company's international growth plans.

SOURCE illycaffè