Work: Anna G.

Description

“Anna the dancer. In actual fact, when the advertiser Emanuele Pirella had to think up a promotional image for the Anna G. corkscrew […] he imagined it as a Marilyn Monroe with her fluttering skirt, holding her dress to keep it down. But many others saw it as a ballerina and continue to think that the most famous Italian corkscrew, and one of Alessi’s best-known projects, is a dancer.” — Chiara Alessi

Conceived by Alessandro Mendini and produced by Alessi since 1994, Anna G. is far more than a standard winged corkscrew; she is an ironic, affectionate homage to the female form. Standing 23 cm tall, the entire silhouette playfully evokes a ballerina poised elegantly on a single foot.

Mendini brilliantly reimagined utilitarian, mechanical components as expressive anatomical features:

The traditional top ring used for opening crown caps is transformed into a smiling, oval face framed by an unmistakable bob haircut. This section is crafted from mirror-polished zamak (a high-quality zinc-based alloy). The side levers double as the figure’s arms. Raising and lowering them operates the central “leg” (the worm screw) as it moves in and out of the dress. The dress itself cleverly conceals the internal mechanism and is molded from a thermoplastic resin that feels slightly textured to the touch.
The base flares out like a stylized daisy before tapering upward, a clever geometric trick that gives the figure a more slender, elongated posture. This structure is topped by a chromatically contrasting collar that bridges the body and the metallic face.

In this collection, the classic blue-dressed version of Anna G. is paired with Alessandro M.—a companion piece designed by Mendini in 2003 that reinterprets the traditional bell corkscrew as a whimsical male figure. Both icons remain in production today in a vibrant palette of colors.

“Regarding the name of the Anna G. corkscrew, a little anecdote: when Alberto Alessi saw the design of the chromed zamak oval of the face, framed by the bob, he noticed a certain resemblance to a then young, talented pupil of Mendini’s, named Anna Gili, who gave her authorization to be the muse of the corkscrew.” — Chiara Alessi

Anna & Alessandro, cavatappi – durata 0:41
Sonic evocation of the object created by Paolo Ferrario

Further info: Anna G. on Alessi website