Source: AFP
One of the world’s leading design events, Salone del Mobile, opened in Milan on Tuesday, featuring sustainability, craftsmanship and two ‘think rooms’ by David Lynch.
Immersive experiences, new versions of iconic furniture and pops of color from the 1970s are also set to define this year’s show, with some 1,950 exhibitors — including a third from outside Italy.
Sustainability, the environment and social responsibility are again a big issue, Maria Porro, head of Salone, told AFP.
Shapes are “inspired by the organic world,” colors dominated by natural hues from dark brown to sage and cobalt blue, he said.
Top materials include “natural fibers and recycled materials that meet high standards of sustainability as well as design and functionality.”
But Porro said the bright colors of the 1970s would also make a comeback, as part of a wider retro spirit, as Italian brands bring that period’s furniture up-to-date.
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Among the main attractions of the exhibition are two identical “thinking rooms” designed by Lynch, which were conceived as symbolic doors through which a visitor must pass in order to immerse himself in the exhibition.
The 78-year-old American director is best known for his films, often disturbing portraits of American life, but he has been designing furniture for more than two decades.
Source: AFP
Another fascinating experience, ‘Under the Surface’ by illustrator Emiliano Ponzi, takes the form of a submerged island, with a message against wasting water. Continuously moving light reflections in the sea represent data on global water consumption.
Last year, more than 300,000 visitors came from 181 countries — with Chinese shoppers also returning after an absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: AFP