‘This is Tomorrow’, new signature posters exhibited in Milan sharing Generali’s sustainability commitment

• Curated by Luca Massimo Barbero, the project sees the works of great illustrators of the past side by side with new posters created by contemporary artists interpreting themes and values that are key for the Group
• The carousel conceived by Migliore+Servetto and installed in Milan’s CityLife district provided an exhibition frame to the posters

Milan – Generali presents ‘This is Tomorrow’ the project celebrating and refreshing the Company’s traditional collaboration with renowned artists and illustrators to depict society, interpret reality and change – within the context of sustainability - through the art of posters.

Curated by Luca Massimo Barbero, an art historian and Director of the Fondazione Cini Institute of Art History, ‘This is Tomorrow’ will be on display until 14th July at Milan’s Piazza Tre Torri, near the Generali Tower. Six posters that have been commissioned to contemporary international artists. These works will stand side-by-side with the posters created by gifted artists of the 19th and 20th century who worked with the Company, including Marcello Dudovich, Gino Boccasile, Achille Beltrame, and Gian Luciano Sormani.

The posters have been framed within the concept of a carousel, conceived by Migliore+Servetto. The carousel is a dynamic installation in the square of the CityLife district, measuring approximately 9 metres in diameter and 5 metres in height, which draws on the wealth of the Group's archive to establish a dialogue between the graphic image and the life of the square. The hourglass shape of the entire structure recalls the traditional merry-go-round carousel and is marked by the colour red, which is the identifying colour for Generali.

The posters will also be on display in The Gallery, Generali’s space dedicated to art and photography in the Tre Torri metro station.

The main goal of the project, conceived as the final celebration to mark the 190 years since the Company’s foundation, is to express the values and themes that Generali holds dear – including its sustainability commitment. This includes protection for the climate and biodiversity, caring for communities – including through The Human Safety Net’s Foundation, the relationship between generations and with technology and the ambition to be a Lifetime Partner to customers. The posters provide new insight into the contemporary world, confirming Generali’s commitment to sharing its core values and interpreting reality, moving with the times.

Simone Bemporad, Group Director of Communications & Public Affairs, said: “Signature posters have always been part of Generali’s tradition. Today, across almost two centuries of history, this tradition is refreshed through new interpretations of values and themes that continue to guide and inspire the Group's commitment to contribute to a safer and more sustainable future. A future to be built evolving from its roots, looking at the challenges of our times, and in which people can progress and prosper, in a healthier and more resilient society.”

Luca Massimo Barbero said: “The 190 years since the foundation of Generali have been rich in visual imagery dating back to the Company’s origins extending over almost two centuries of social engagement and communication. The artists involved in the project have been given the opportunity to explore and plumb the vast range of interests and commitments that Generali has at an international level. Each of them has drawn inspiration from that universe, creating a series of studies and pursuing lines of research that have culminated in these extraordinary and incisive illustrations, illuminated by a sense of history and by the contemporary energy of the visual arts.”

Ico Migliore and Mara Servetto, Migliore+Servetto, said: “We conceived the installation for Generali at Milan’s Piazza Tre Torri as a sort of contemporary merry-go-round capable of bringing back the meanings that the square has historically taken on under the sign of festivity, wonder and fantasy, demonstrating how even the beauty of the skillful graphic line of posters can be an inexhaustible source of imagination for everyone. Designing for urban space basically means hosting new experiences and increasing awareness.”

NEW AUTHORS AND THEMES

The artists involved have understood and expressed Generali’s sustainability commitment: Gérard DuBois with the fantastic interplay between three generations of his “For the Future Together”, Elena Xausa in her work “Innovation for Humanity”, looking at Venice’s St. Mark’s Square. Again, the Craig&Karl duo with “Solutions for a Better World”, the bust constructed out of symbols of engagement and technology which is a vision, an expression of belief in the immensity of the world and in our responsibility to make sure that it is always improving. Moreover, unity and commitment to humanity with Tim Lahan’s clasped hands in “Caring for People’s Lives”. Alëna Skarina draws dreamy lagoons in which humanity unites the islands, forging a link between environment and human being as is suggested by the title “The Human Safety Net”. Finally, Max Guther recounts daily commitment symbolically uniting the world of work with the responsibility and awareness that every action and idea shares and fosters with a view to “Sharing Global Challenges” for the creation of a better world, enhancing the value of sharing and collaboration.

GENERALI AND POSTERS IN HISTORY

Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in addition to advertising through posters Generali used (in line with a consolidated practice) other forms of advertising including calendars, postcards and brochures illustrating what it did and the core values of the Company such as family, business, and work, protected and treasured by insurance. As a result, insurance reminds us that its mission is to improve people's lives and guarantee a peaceful future, and it also does so through the contribution of great artists. Among the most famous are Achille Beltrame, the famous illustrator of La Domenica del Corriere, with his illustrated calendars dominated by scenes of agricultural life; Marcello Dudovich, whose elegant touch made female figures iconic and who often depicted Venice and the lagoon; Gino Boccasile, the creator of some famous advertising works that particularly portrayed the rural environment; the aforementioned Gian Luciano Sormani and also Leopoldo Metlicovitz, Plinio Codognato, Osvaldo Ballerio, Aldo Raimondi, Franco Mosca and many others.

Access to Generali's Historical Archives, headquartered in Palazzo Berlam in Trieste, for guided visits and consultation of the databases and digital reproductions is possible by appointment. For further information please visit the website https://heritage.generali.com/en/.

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