Daniel Vigilante
Sandra 1
Michael ItaliaReflections on the iMade Exhibition, Italian design at Federation Square
The National Design Centre recently hosted the Melbourne Design Festival in and around the city. Prominent venues included Federation Square and along the Yarra River. The festival theme was 'when it rains it pours’. According to the festival brochure, the theme ‘captures the irony of surplus or scarcity, drought or flood…how do we create a meaningful balance from these opposing elements?’ Does this sounds a little confusing and obtuse? I certainly thought so. But then it was a festival about creativity and new design directions, so perhaps the abstract theme complimented this.
The iMade was the festival’s major international touring exhibition. It showcased the rich and productive design culture of Italy. Besides having displayed various products it also gave viewers a glimpse of the concepts, manufacturing and technological processes behind their creation. Exhibits were sourced from the cities of Milan and Lombardy, the hub of Italy’s design and manufacturing industry.
iMade featured the work of renowned Italian firms such as B & B Italia, Boffi, Rubelli and Kartell and showcased items created by designers such as Philippe Starck, Ross Lovegrove, Gae Aulenti and Antonio Citterio. A variety of products were displayed including furniture, lighting, silverware, marble, fixtures, ceramic tiles and furnishing fabrics. The exhibition may have been of particular interest to upcoming furniture and industrial designers as each exhibit was accompanied by its creator’s early sketches, photos of work in progress and construction drawings.
The exhibition appealed to a broad range of viewers whether they were interested in only design aspects or wished to observe the manufacturing processes that made these items such a global commercial success.
The iMade was the festival’s major international touring exhibition. It showcased the rich and productive design culture of Italy. Besides having displayed various products it also gave viewers a glimpse of the concepts, manufacturing and technological processes behind their creation. Exhibits were sourced from the cities of Milan and Lombardy, the hub of Italy’s design and manufacturing industry.
iMade featured the work of renowned Italian firms such as B & B Italia, Boffi, Rubelli and Kartell and showcased items created by designers such as Philippe Starck, Ross Lovegrove, Gae Aulenti and Antonio Citterio. A variety of products were displayed including furniture, lighting, silverware, marble, fixtures, ceramic tiles and furnishing fabrics. The exhibition may have been of particular interest to upcoming furniture and industrial designers as each exhibit was accompanied by its creator’s early sketches, photos of work in progress and construction drawings.
The exhibition appealed to a broad range of viewers whether they were interested in only design aspects or wished to observe the manufacturing processes that made these items such a global commercial success.
