The annual furniture fair in Milan ‘il salone del mobile’ is the event that makes the city extremely lively and intense. The design offers are so huge, that it is not enough just to present a design object. In order to present an object properly, to get attention, the surrounding space is as important as the object itself. The curated or performed space with a spectacular scenography has become a part of the exhibition, for the big contributors.
I will start with the experience that made my visit to Milan worthwhile. The Belgian avant-garde designers, Studio Job at MOST (Museum of Science and Technology)! A very minimal, but sacral installation, that was blowing you away. Surrounded by the 18th century frescoes and stucco-work of the old monastery refectory San Cenacolo, they made an installation on the floor. Studio job presented their new office collection for Lensvelt, a set-up of white cabinets, tables and lamps, assisted by the music of Pink Floyd. It embodies industrial mass production with a personal and surreal touch. Enormous gilded keys assist every white cabinet. Each table has a drawer, which opens by pulling a huge nose-shaped, gilded grip. The lamps have a huge gilded switch-on/off button. A very stylish way of presenting their new collection, by juxtaposing old and new.
Studio Job presenting their new office collection at MOST
At the same location (MOST), you find Tom Dixon in collaboration with Adidas, at an old train pavilion. Between old locomotives, assemblies were running with his working uniform clothes, and luggage packed on trolleys, assisted by smoke and sound from the locomotives, leaving an atmosphere from the Second World War. The exhibition was called ‘The capsule’ showing “Everything-you-can-pack-neatly-in-a-bag-for-a-week-away.” It is a collaboration premiering new typologies in luggage, footwear & apparel, with an opportunity for grand exploration into the immense expertise of the sports world, in technical & performing materials, matched with British ingenuity & innovation.
Tom Dixon & Adidas in collaboration at MOST
At the other end, in finest quality you find Hermès, who also started to perform at ‘il salone del mobile’ in 2010, with fashion meets furniture. See my earlier article, where they collaborated with Shigero Ban:
http://stylemetothemoon.com/articles/how-did-you-get-home
This time, they built up their own showroom in the middle of an old library; a collection called ‘les necessaries d’Hermès’. Delicate furniture, often with leather features, placed in small houses on top of each other. They also showed a huge table with their own set of plates, cups dishes and bowls.
Hermès, at the old library in Via Clerici
It seems the big contributors chose their own location to give their design a special set up and atmosphere. Talking about style and atmosphere, we visited Villa Necchi Campiglio. A very stylish place for the former Milanese bourgeoisie, built in 1932-35 by the architect Piero Portaluppi. A jewel which has remained unchanged over time. The women in the house used to dictate and show the coming fashion in Milan at the time. Today, it is open to the public for guided tours. The style can be experienced in the film ‘I am love’ (‘Io sono l’amore’). A perfect location for an exclusive exhibition, which wants to be surrounded by the history of the first half of the 20th century.
The famous living room, facing out to the garden, in villa Necchi
To integrate design and art in the space, there is a lot of inspiration to be sourced, in the old churches, monasteries and palaces in Milan. The richness of decoration and craftsmanship is incredible. One of the locals recommended that we visit the monastery of San Maurizio, to see the old fresco of Noah’s Arc. An amazingly beautiful painting, and thank you to Anna Sala from Acuzena, for recommending that we experience that.
Noah’s Arc at the monastery of San Maurizio
SOURCES :
Unless otherwise stated, all material is sourced under the Creative Commons 3.0 license, and/or from Wikimedia Commons, and/or generated internally.
TEXT SOURCE :
-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
IMAGE SOURCES :
-1-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
-2-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
-3-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
-4-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
-5-Birgitte Katborg Laursen
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