illycaffè returns to Frieze Seoul and presents the illy Art Collection designed by Judy Chicago

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Sep 06, 2023, 09:00 ET

In the illy lounge of the fair, visitors will be able to live an experience, surrounded by the creativity of the American artist and the aroma of the unique illy blend

SEOUL, South Korea, Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- illycaffè, the global coffee company known for its sustainable quality and for the privileged communication channel it has created with the art world, is the coffee partner of Frieze Seoul, one of the most important international contemporary art fairs that this year will host over 120 galleries from 30 different countries.

The philosophy that has driven the company towards contemporary art stems from an extended interpretation of the concept of "coffee culture" in which the aesthetic dimension plays an important role. This is how the illy Art Collections were born, the iconic coffee cups that more than 30 years ago transformed an everyday object into a canvas on which more than 125 internationally renowned artists represented their creations.

Visitors and exhibitors of Frieze Seoul who will go to the illy lounge from 6^th to 9^th September (sector B), will be able to take a coffee break and discover the latest illy Art Collection designed by Judy Chicago, immersed in a space where the beauty of the American artist's sophisticated design blends with the goodness of the aroma of illy coffee, offering a visual and tactile experience, in contact with contemporary art.

Judy Chicago is known for depicting the roles and achievements of women throughout history and culture. With this illy Art Collection, the artist illustrates the transition from social constraints historically imposed on women to a place of cultural and creative freedom. Each cup in the collection, through its creativity, represents a female figure of historical importance belonging to different eras: the Queen of France Marie Antoinette; Madame de Staël, novelist, philosopher, and political essayist; feminist writer George Sand; writer Virginia Woolf.

"We are proud to be the global coffee partner of Frieze Seoul, one of the leading international art fairs, with whom we share the core values of passion for inclusiveness and sharing" – says Cristina Scocchia, CEO of illycaffè - iIlycaffè expresses its identity through contemporary art, a world with which it has built a long-term relationship that has lasted more than 30 years".

illycaffè is an Italian family-owned company, founded in Trieste in 1933 which has always set itself the mission of offering the best coffee to the world. It produces a unique 100% Arabica blend composed of 9 different ingredients. The company selects only 1% of the best Arabica beans in the world. 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, in which the company is present through subsidiaries and distributors. Since its foundation, illycaffè has oriented its strategies towards a sustainable business model, commitment that it strengthened in 2019 by adopting the status of Benefit Company and in 2021 becoming the first Italian coffee company to obtain the international B Corp certification. Since 2013 the company is also one of the World Most Ethical Companies. 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 125 international artists, or coffee machines designed by internationally renowned designers. With the aim of spreading the culture of quality to growers, baristas and coffee lovers, the company has developed its Università del Caffè which today holds courses in 25 countries around the world. In 2021, Rhône Capital became a minority shareholder of illycaffè with the aim of contributing to the company's international growth plans.
In 2022, the company had 1230 employees and a turnover of €567,7 million. The illy single-brand network has 190 points of sale in 34 countries.

Frieze is the world's leading platform for modern and contemporary art for scholars, connoisseurs, collectors, and the general public alike. Frieze comprises three magazines – frieze, Frieze Masters Magazine and Frieze Week – and five international art fairs – Frieze London, Frieze Masters, Frieze New York, Frieze Los Angeles and Frieze Seoul. In addition, in October 2021, Frieze launched No.9 Cork Street, a hub for visiting international galleries in the heart of Mayfair, London. Frieze is part of the IMG network.

SOURCE illycaffè