THE HISTORY

In the spring of 1973 Dalí showed Alberto Alessi his first prototype for this project in Port Lligat, in his snow-white villa on its beautiful harbor-side location. The title of the work was "Obget inutile, vase, sur un problème de topologie négative". A falling angel with a crutch, with illegible writing and a series of geometric technique diagrams at the bottom. The stainless steel sheet has been brutally wrapped around itself and is held together by two clothespins, the old-fashioned wooden kind. Also held by the clothespins is a huge golden comb, and each tooth of the comb has a large stainless steel hook welded to it, the kind used for salmon fishing. The hooks come in two sizes; the larger ones welded to the large teeth of the comb and the smaller ones welded to the small teeth. Two factors came between Alberto's will and the actual realization of "Obget inutile". One of these was the firm opinion of his uncle, head of the technical office, on the reproducibility of the work. The other was the sad realization, which became progressively clearer and clearer, that reproductions, though loaded with utopian optimism, were really of no interest to the "market". In sum, the public had no desire to buy those beautiful reproductions freed from the idea of rarity.It seems nice to look back to that first initiative which, over half a century ago, suggested Alessi’s experimental future.