Iela Mari: Il Mondo Attraverso una Lente

Iela Mari: The World Through a Lens, Babalibri, Milano, 2010 (Italian and English language)
Catalogue for the first Italian survey exhibition of Iela Mari's work, held as part of The Bologna Children's Book Fair. An overdue study of her children's books, including sketches, prototypes, and edition variations, beginning with her first book from 1960 (in collaboration with her then husband, Enzo Mari). She currently lives in Milan. "With the simplicity of the act of breathing, her lucid gaze explores small things: nature, animals, blades of grass, silence, the air."

previously/related: Enzo Mari

Enzo Mari: The Fable Game

Il giocco delle favole (The fable game) by Enzo Mari, Danese, Milano, 1965 (This is the third variant, from 1971. Lithography in 12 colours on plastified cardboard sheets, 9 X 18 inches). The Fable Game is currently in its 5th printing, reissued by Edizioni Corraini (at 6 X 12.5 inches).

It’s not a book to read or to leaf through but to make, unmake and build up: a never ending adventure, played and invented anew each time by the endless possibilities at hand.

previously:

Enzo Mari: Living

Enzo Mari: Drawing Cards '5' soggetti e sequenze

Enzo Mari: See-Saw

Bruno Munari: Images of Reality

ENZO MARI: LIVING

Living (carte da gioco per immaginare la propria vita) by Enzo Mari and Paolo Gallerani, Edizioni Per Bambini, Danese, Milano, 1976 (Italian language).

Playing cards to imagine his/her own life (rough translation)---A game for children. The set of cards is divided into 8 decks (with 10 cards each) representing various categories, such as profession ("i am a..."), home ("My home is..."), place ("I live in..."), neighbours ("My Neighbour is..."), possessions ("I own a..."), etc.

30 years later, Mari used these cards in lectures to architecture students in order to "broaden and improve the quality of their design horizon". A website called LIVING - exercises by Enzo Mari documents these lectures, complete with video and an interactive version of the game (in English). In 2006, Domus reprinted the set to include in an issue of the magazine.

see also:

Enzo Mari: Drawing Cards '5' soggetti e sequenze

Enzo Mari: See-Saw

Bruno Munari: Images of Reality

ENZO MARI: soggetti e sequenze

Carte Da Disegno 5: Soggetti e Sequenze (Drawing Cards 5: Subjects and Sequences) by Enzo Mari, Danese, Milano, 1978 (first edition). Sheaf containing 6 sheets of drawing paper---2 blank and 4 with printed images for children to embellish and complete. Each sheet is 38.5 X 6.7 inches. All 5 sets of Mari's drawing cards have been reissued by Corraini. (the above images are cropped details)

...in these apparently impervious traces of world Mari has slipped in the unexpected chance outlet, the pick-lock that flings wide the door. It will be a pleasure for all to come across the hole in the wire-netting, the window left open, the dream shared.

see also:

Enzo Mari: See-Saw

Bruno Munari: Images of Reality

Today's book market finds.

SEE-SAW

L'ALTALENA (SEE-SAW) by Enzo Mari, Danese Milano Edizioni Per Bambini, 1981 (Second Edition). The first edition was published in 1961. This book is currently in print as a beautiful accordion-fold edition, published by Corraini. See also Mari's 16 Animali puzzle (1957) on which this book is based. This edition contains a poem by Renato Pedio not included in the Corraini edition. (staple bound, 13 X 9.5 inches)