Overview
Galleria Campari: the history of the Milanese drink, between art and design
The fortunes of Campari, a liqueur made from herbs, aromatic plants, fruit, alcohol and water invented by Gaspare Campari around 1860, have gone hand in hand with innovative advertising campaigns that inextricably link the drink's brand to the world of art.
Does Marcello Dudovich's poster of two lovers on a red background or the unmistakable Campari Soda bottle created by futurist Fortunato Depero ring a bell?
It was Campari's first production plant
This, and much more, is what you will see at Galleria Campari, which since 2010 – the 150th year since the company was founded – has been welcoming visitors to the group's first production site, in Sesto San Giovanni, just outside Milan.
Here, guided by Campari employees, you can immerse yourself in the brand's historical archive tracing the history of the famous aperitif that is also a piece of Italian history.
Belle Époque posters and posters of famous artists
On the gallery walls, more than 3,000 works on paper, including one-of-a-kind posters from the Belle Époque period, as well as posters and advertising graphics created from the 1930s to the 1990s by famous artists. Any names? Leonetto Cappiello, Guido Crepax, Marcello Dudovich, Franz Marangolo and Ugo Nespolo.
Vintage shakers also on display
In addition to the graphics, there are also various original tools from the world of mixing, historical bottles and glasses, vintage merchandising and design objects by Matteo Thun, Dodo Arslan, Markus Benesch and Matteo Ragni.
From Fellini to Sorrentino, the signature of great directors
But this museum is not only a collection of posters and objects, it is also an interactive place where, by some of the most technological means, a beautiful story is told. Impressive, for example, is the gigantic video-wall with 15 screens dedicated to carousels, short films and TV commercials from the 1950s to the 1970s, made by famous directors who collaborated with the brand, such as Fellini and Singh Tarsem, Sorrentino, Sollima and Garron.
It is a 32-metre wall on which animated vintage posters, videos dedicated to artists and images from historic Campari calendars are projected.
Also not to be missed is the interactive table with 12 touch screens with which to interact to discover the company's entire artistic heritage.
An App for the true fans
And if Campari is absolutely your favourite drink and you want to know even more about it, you should definitely download the App, designed to delve deeper into the contents on display in the gallery.
