The Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) in the capital city welcomes the exhibition “Il Nuovo Design Italiano“ (The New Italian Design). The exhibition was curated by Elisabetta Pisu from the IMF Foundation and supported by the Italian Institute of Culture and EP Studio, and will remain open until August 30st, 2021.
The exhibited works have been selected among the creations of 7 representatives of the new wave of Italian designers.
The aesthetic that has always accompanied the Italian culture, according to the Italian ambassador to Albania, Fabrizio Bucci, gets blended with external features in these works, such as Baroque and Eastern elements. According to Alessandra Bertini Malgarini, IIC Director, contemporary design has overcome the traditional approach precisely by giving up the caution and prudence that the Italian design originally had, which actually made it timeless and famous. According to curator Pisu, a new era has already begun, where originality and freedom stand in the core of good desings. Creations, both artistic and functional, unite innovation with tradition without perverting either of them. And in the end, it is craftsmanship that attaches importance to quality and turns design into a strong economic factor for Italy.
A glimpse on the works and the rich career of each artist makes us learn more about them.
Ilaria Bianchi brings three essence diffusers in the collection called “Essenziale” (Essential, 2018). The brass marble diffusers were produced by the Verona company Il Marmo, while the aroma that they distribute comes from the collaboration between Ostens and perfumer Juliette Karagueuzgiou. Through this collection, the Turin and London trained designer explores the growing interest in home fragrances and brings them into a kinetic format, as the diffusers rotate to disperse the fragrance.
Federica Biasi, graduated in design in Milan and for several years in charge of a personal studio, is represented in the exhibition by “Elettra” (2017). Created for the Mingardo brand, where Biasi performs as an artistic director, Elettra is an elegant vase that holds a flower. The minimalistic shape and the way of isolating the flower, positioning it up away from the base, diverts the attention of visitors from the vase. Federica Biasi’s career is focused on home creations, such as chairs, tables and carpets.
Matteo Cibic is introduced in the exhibition booklet as the enfant terrible of the new scene of Italian design. He is represented in this exhibition via two works from the “Vanilla Noir Collection”, called “Wings” and “Nanook of the North” (2015), created in collaboration with the Indian brand Scarlet Splendour. “Wings“ is a mirror with a frame reminiscent of gambling cards, while the“Nanook of the North“ is a rocking horse carved in ivory. Both works are decorated by a sharply contrasting black and white stripes.
The collection presented by Serena Confalonieri, a specialist in productive design, is entitled “Arabesque” (2019), akin to the traditional Islamic decor. The items in the collection are colorful and carry an emotional vision, with decorative hyperboles, a characteristic feature of the author. Confalonieri’s career intertwines with various practical goals, such as reorienting small businesses towards contemporary forms of design. The 6 borosilicate glass objects in the collection are functional as well as aesthetically sweet.
Antonio Facco, the author of the lamp “Mondo” (World, 2017), projects into his works the cultural context where he creates. His works often contain movement, as does “Mondo“, which was created for the Oblure brand and that consists in a globe protected by two movable metal nets. The user, by positioning the grids as desired, will have control over the light density and play with the graphic effects produced from the overlapping orthogonal grid lines.
“MRND” (2015) is a series of vases presented by Elena Salmistraron, an industrial design specialist, trained in Milan and for years a collaborator of well-known furniture brands. The vases were made for the Seletti brand and in honor of the artist Giorgio Morandi, inspired by his calm nature. They balance between geometric shapes and subtle colors.
Tipstudio is a company created by Imma Matera (product design specialist) and Tommaso Lucarini (creator). Together they produce objects that respect the traditional handicrafts, history and that are inspired by the cultural surroundings of Italy. The “Apollineo” collection (2019), which represents them in COD, is an example of this expression of cultural identity. The objects (ladder, candlestick, arch mirror, bookcase, vase) were made using stones of the Lecce province and convey powerful, hand-drawn Mediterranean features. Their small dimensions constructed through serious architecture, ironizes the fact that their function fails due to their size.
A praise to steadiness and handcraftsmanship, this is how curator Pisu considers the new Italian design. A harmonious interaction between tradition and innovation.
