Five Intriguing Installations at Salone del Mobile 2017

Ever-vibrant Marni showed some spunk in Milan with an installation entitled “MARNI PLAYLAND.” Appropriately named, the project consisted of stretches of bright colored sand, with the brand’s new offerings playfully placed throughout the space. Each limited-edition item was handcrafted from metal, painted wood, and woven PVC cord by a group of skillful artisan women in Colombia. Reaffirming the brand’s commitment to children’s charities, Marni is donating a part of the proceeds to the Only The Brave Foundation, which supports many charitable institutions. In particular, this year’s donations will benefit the Associazione Piccolo Principe through its Orso Baloo center, which hosts children in need up until age six in Milan.

For its 10th time at Salone, Lexus created the public installation “YET” by Neri Oxma. Oxma—an architect, designer, and professor at MIT Media Lab—is known for her research and design team The Mediated Matter Group, and showed her strong innovative philosophy through design and technology. The multidimensional installation of light and shadow also showcased the 12 Lexus Design Award finalists.

With COS, London-based collective Studio Swine—comprised of Japanese architect Azusa Murakami and British artist Alexander Groves—debuted an installation entitled “New Spring.” The artistic collaboration reflected the optimism and renewal that comes along with seasonality, and its meaning was present in an offering of emotional mist-filled blossoms burst and evaporate. “It is a joy for us to invite such talented creatives to collaborate and ultimately for us to engage with the creative community we draw inspiration from so regularly at COS,” said Karin Gustafsson, Creative Director of COS.

Antonio Marras presented a series of lights by the Campana Brothers in partnership with the Institute of Research, Technology and Innovation (IPTI), entitled “Retratos Illuminados.” Lamps made from embroidery frames by the communities of the Sergipe and Aladoas favelas glowed under Bandidos Illuminados—a Marras and Campana-made project that shows the faces of the world’s most notorious outlaws, such as Al Capone and Pablo Escobar.

Jil Sander entrusted nendo to create the immersive environment “Invisible Outlines.” Using boundaries as a jump-off point, nendo showed 16 new pieces, including: 80 Sheets of Mountains, a mountain range with cuts of sheet material; the Jellyfish vase; the new Trace collection; the Border table; the 3-D Objectextile textiles; and Un-Printed Material.