On Tuesday November 9, PIASA is organising two auctions dedicated to 20th century Italian design, one of which - entitled "JSA: art fabrics" - is exclusively dedicated to art fabrics from a private Italian collection, produced by the JSA Manufacture.
The great adventure of the JSA Manufacture began in 1949, the year of its foundation.
Graduated from the "Scuola serele di Tessitura di Milano", its founder Luigi Grampa (1915-1976) was a resistance fighter against the fascist regime during the World War II. He was arrested and sentenced to three months in prison in San Vittore, during which he was forced to work in several textile factories in the Busto Arsizio area dedicated to the manufacture of clothing fabrics.
After the war, Luigi Grampa establishes JSA in Via Ponzela, in Busto Arsizio (MI), and sets up a weaving unit with second-hand machine tools. The first prints are made in small local factories, but in view of the success of the general public, Grampa decides to create his own printing works. The young founder gives way to more creativity and strengthens his skills, signing his designs himself under the pseudonym "Zacarias".
Lucio Fontana (1899-1969)
Volo Spaziale
Estimate: 5 000 / 7 000 €
Between 1954 and 1956, the company relocated to Via Rosolino Pilo (Busto Arsizio). The new production area dedicated to printing and weaving was equipped with a huge 60 linear metre workshop for hand-applied silk-screen printing. Gio Ponti, a close friend of Luigi Grampa, designs the hexagonal apertures of the printing plant building.
This is the beginning of the "Golden Age" of the JSA Company. Luigi Grampa commissions designs for his textiles from decorators, architects and artists, some of whom will become major designers on the international scene.
Because of its proximity to the world of art and culture, JSA applies the most innovative ideas of the Italian Avant-Garde to its fabrics. Artists and architects such as Lucio Fontana, Piero Dorazio, Enrico Baj, Gianni Dova, Enrico Prampolini, Gio Pomodoro, Roberto Crippa, Emanuele Luzzati, Cesare Perevelli, Bruno Munari, Gio Ponti, Ettore Sottsass jr., Gaetano Pesce and Enzo Mari signed the designs of the Manufacture.
During the 10th (1954) and 11th (1957) Milan Triennials, the Manufacture presented more than 5,000 different designs at the "Concorso Internazionale per tessuti stampati per arredamento". Numerous awards followed, including the prestigious "Compasso d'Oro" for the best industrial design.
Gio Pomodoro (1930-2002)
I Cirri
Estimate: 5 000 / 7 000 €
A fabric designed by Gianni Dova was even chosen to be exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
In the 1960s, JSA textiles were recognised throughout the world and were exported from the United States to the Middle East, via Australia, until the Manufacture ceased operations following the death of its founder in 1976.
- Fede Grampa
Italian production (20th c.)
Untitled
Estimate: 500 / 700 €
