Juicy Salif: history of a sculptural lemon squeezer
Published on May 20, 2016
Juicy Salif became the most famous lemon squeezer in the history of design, a much critiqued but widely loved object-symbol. It is impossible not to recognize it at first glance: this statuesque lemon squeezer is a true iconic piece, showcased even at the MOMA in New York. The merit of its celebrity goes to its innovative and organic spider shape , which surprises and is deemed controversial to this day. Starck himself admitted that it is more of a “conversation object”, highly decorative and intentionally provocative, rather than a useful piece for juicing lemons on fried fish.
This lemon squeezer produced by Alessi, is made of aluminium casting.
A truly iconic object and symbol not only of Philippe Starck but of Alessi itself, this citrus squeezer – as revolutionary as it is surprisingly functional – was sketched in its essentials by Starck during a holiday by the sea in Italy, on a pizzeria napkin.
It was just an intuition, sparked in front of a plate of calamari during a lunch on the island of Capraia: Philippe Starck, instead of impatiently tapping his fingers on the placemat, started drawing on it, inspired by the sea-food and the lemon to juice on it. Once his project was completed, he sent it to Alberto Alessi, who had been waiting for months for the project of a tray, not expecting that of a paradoxical lemon squeezer.
Instructions for use here! ; )
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