Author: Ana Sibrian

A moment of reflection, a bird’s eye-view of the city. A last review of Design in Milan. Milano, such a wonderful city, full of bravado, energy and kindness. This has been a whirlwind of an experience (a once in a lifetime opportunity that has changed my view on design) — where the past met the present and juxtaposed the future to create new forms of designing. Each element gave me a completely different perspective on Design … and life. Not only did we see graphic design, but we saw total design, which has fascinated me for wuite some time. Now I understand total design and comprehend the different modes of design. With the right foundation, not one way is right or wrong, but just different modes of making. It wasn’t just about thinking, but the act of making and creating your own practice. We were exposed to different modes of making. It wasn’t about what the designers learned and how they did the work, but it was that they did the work and discovered a variety of thoughts and execution of those ideas. It was how they interpreted complex ideas and turned them into simple, functionable objects and usable forms. Most designers believed in form follows function, but there were a couple of designers that created sculptures, as well and transformed those into functional objects. Overall, designers followed the”form follows function” concept. One designer that comes to mind that made beautiful objects that didn’t necessarily followed the form follows function concept was Phillippe Stark. Although, he’s not Italian, he did work for Alessi to create award winning objects. His juicer didn’t necessarily function all that well, but was a sculptural piece, which is still one of the most successful, selling artifact he designed for Alessi, which leads me to believe that Milan places design as a priority. Unlike, the United States, Milan respects and appreciates designers. Here, they allow for designers to take the time to conceptualize, to explore and to prototype. And then, prototype, again.

Alessi believes in the power of design to improve our lives. It is about how designers work and allowing them to explore their concepts at a reasonable pace. In Italy, they understand the importance of creativity. They understand that each designer has different modes of making and allow for those processes to evolve into something beautiful and functionable. Each designer had a practice and created each design in their own way without compromising their work. I noticed that each designer had a method of working, but they all  … practiced, practiced, practiced. They didn’t become great designers simply by observing and thinking. They all discovered their methods of making and continued to practice until they created their own process. It was about how each designer worked and generated processes for themselves. Whether it took one month or one year to design an object, they created the right environment for themselves. This was possible because Italy supports (and still believes) on the importance of design.

Our experience started from the day we set foot in the city … We were rained on, delayed and held back for about an hour because the rain blocked the railway. Nature, (A tree) decided to intervene to give us a different experience of Milan. What a fascinating way to begin a design program. I was scared, thrilled and nervous of the unknown. But the nervousness quickly dissipated the minute we saw Kate and the wonderful Jessica.

They made the most of the entire month; giving us a broad spread of work, styles and forms of design–from architecture, fashion, industrial and graphic design–to complete a full circle. All of the work we saw was inspiring. I can’t think of one designer that I didn’t like, but there were a few designers that stood out for me. They captivated and captured my spirit. They were Castiglioni (both father and daughter: Aquille and Monica), Vico, Sottsass, Lauda, Branzi and Carlo Scarpa. Although, I loved all the other other designers, these designers stood out to me because of their practice. Especially, Aquille Castiglioni, he was by far, in my opinion, the most eccentric designer followed by Vico. Neither one of them followed the typical design process. They discovered what they liked and continued exploring.

Castiglioni for example, played. He enjoyed the simplicity of life and observed anonymous objects to inspire his designs. Vico of the other hand, was a hard-working man. He didn’t follow the typical rules of design. He didn’t even draw most of his successful designs. He simply communicated his ideas and had others design them. He believed that if a designer could communicate his ideas over the phone, they were most successful … Because the idea was so strong, there was no need to over explain or draw. He was also an observer. His granddaughter shared a story of him going to a company, daily. To understand what they needed. It was unusual way of working for the company that hired him. They had never experienced such a designer. Most designers would just send ideas, drawings and sketches whereas Vico wanted to live in the space and communicate with others …  just to spend time there and later verbally communicated his designs.

The next best things for me were the Carlo Scarpa cemetery, the print museum and workshop, the Fabrica and a nice surprise visiting Fondazione Prada and discovering that the old distillery was revived by none other than the OMA group lead by Rem Koolhass. One of my favorite architects. Again, although he’s not Italian, it was great seeing his work in Italy. Most of Koolhass designs are driven by connectivity and experience, in my opinion. He was able to combine the old with the new seamlessly, without disturbing the original structure of the distillery. He added such modern elements that it directed you to focus on the details. At first glance, the building looks completely modern, but when you look closer, you see the gaps bringing your attention to the old facade. Your eye is drawn by the modern, but it guides you to focus on the old. The intention was to highlight the beauty of the old forms.

The interior design of the cafe “Bar Luce” was designed with Wes Anderson–to add a little cinema flare to the Fondazione.

Another wonderful surprise was Carlo Scarpa’s structures. I had never been exposed to this architect, but I have found yet another inspiration. Scarpa definitely focuses on the gaps in between by allowing you some breathing room from wall to ceiling to door. Every little detail is completely thought of, including the gaps in between.

This image above is one of my favorite representation of Scarpa’s style. It is the untouched space (the gaps) that make his forms more spectacular.

The image above represents the power of a meditative space through absence. We decided to sign the book and leave a bit of Texas happiness by signing the guest book.

For the last several weeks this particular building has been calling my name. I hear the wind blowing through its window cavities. It whispered at me saying, “just pause, take a moment, and just watch.” But in the hustle and bustle of things, I’ve ignored it. I paused for a second on Friday, but didn’t listen … I continued on. Finally, on Monday, I took a moment to look deeper into the structure. Low and behold, it was Gio Ponti’s church of San Francesco D’Assisi. It was beautiful, majestic and grand in its simplicity. It only asked you to listen and pause for a moment. The beauty of its simplicity came across that particular moment. That cloud, that car rushing by, and the woman going into confession would only be there at this time and place … with me composing and adding texture of that particular moment. This would never happen again as it just had.

Additionally, adding to the abstract moment of that time and place there were other physical elements that added to the experience. There was a quiet yet powerful organ … Sitting there … with its ceremonious stance, just waiting to be touched. To be played as it was meant to be played. Yet, at that particular moment, it was there, reserve,  just for me to enjoy. Peaceness.

Andrea Branzi and Kenya Hara. PreHistory Exhibit. Another great designer that inspired me on this trip was Andrea Branzi, extremely sad that I missed his talk, but hopefully, I was able to understand his message. His 100 power verbs took me into an unexpected journey—from our dark ages into this new technological age. The creation of our survival tools only marks the beginning of what the human hand can create. It can design many wonderful artifacts, but it can also destroy… if allowed. I loved that the ending element was not a glimpse into the future, but rather a conscious decision to investigate the past. To organize, become aware and REGENERATE the past for progress … “just like the way life begins.” The exhibition electrified me to investigate my past to better prepare for the future. To grasp from my ancestors all the elements that strengthen cultural values for the betterment of society and humanity.

From the 100 verbs, there were a few key words that captured my attention. 1). Exist – “To believe that things are. The universe is. And people are.” This was visually, represented by an unprocessed stone. This caught my attention as this was my initial inspiration to the jewelry pieces I designed for my workshops. I guess, this is an intuitive form that is embedded in all of us, yet we have ignored.

Powerful. 2). Hold – “to grasp things with finger and thumb. Hand engages a stone. Stone encounters hand.” Although, I didn’t like that this stone was an axe, I did appreciate that the stone provided a grip—in my opinion, a form of security or power. My project seems to have intuitively connected to a primitive desire or need to hold on to an object in one’s hand. We just have to learn to listen to our inner desires. This is where I found Branzi’s work amazing. The word chosen to describe the object gave me chills. The definition was powerful—although, it was a working tool, Branzi decided to use the word DESTROY. Granted the tool displayed was a “working tool” to work the land or to capture a prey (or destroy for one’s benefit). He strategically chose the word Destroy because it was created to destroy a living thing or breakdown a landscape. I had to take a moment to inhale this particular information.

(This image was under “Annihilate”, but it clearly represents a stronger definition for destruction.

3). Make – Interestingly enough, Branzi chose to place the word MAKE sixth from the list. I would have thought, this would have been third on the list, but he decided the affect of the hand destroying a living creature was more important than the creation of something. Fascinating. Make – “To manufacture something as we desire. By manipulating materials…”

Branzi then took me into a rollercoaster of a journey from varying sounds to visuals of progression and darkness of regression. The background music generated some apprehension at certain points, at others it gave me hope. I happened to notice the heartbeat sound as I reached the “religious” section or the next key word that caught my attention 4). Worship – “to offer prayers, conscious of the great power beyond human control.” Although, the music brought some uneasiness, the visuals and definition brought me comfort. There were other keywords that captivated my attention such as Cultivate, Share, Love, Learn, Navigate, Build, Observe and Think, but the main takeaway from this exhibition for me was to wake-up, acknowledge the past and become aware of technology rather than be consumed by it or its politics.

Listen and wake-up to your true nature. … just like the way life began!

The Triennale exhibition has compounded a deeper and better understanding of political and critical art and design for me. I find myself drawn to works that have political and/or philosophical statements. The deeper, more ambitious projects seem to draw me in, especially the ones that take a moment to comprehend. The two major projects that captured my attention were Andrea Branzi’s project and now, Anselm Keifer. Both Branzi and Keifer are new discoveries for me. I had never heard of either artists, but I have quickly become a fan. They both make political, personal and philosophical work. Formally, the works speak in a quiet, aesthetically pleasing mode. It takes a moment to discover the hidden treasures.

Having just returned from Germany, I immediately connected to Kiefer’s work, which I had never experienced or seen before, I automatically connected to his work through the reinterpretation of Germany. Although, the theme for this particular exhibition was “The Seven Heavenly Palaces”—which spanned across a broad spectrum from Melancholia to Magnetico, the pieces hold remnants of post-war (post-apocalyptic) Germany. The towers stood high, powerful (in an authoritative manner, waiting to be seen, yet a bit unsure of themselves and off-balanced, almost ready to collapse. It allowed for the viewer to take from them as they wished. The empty rooms and broken elements added to the darkness and unbalanced isolation. The paintings added to the desolation—dark, contained, but well-balanced. The Alchemie was my favorite piece—drawn by the balancing scales. They clearly represented the positive and negative of life, space and time. The scales were balanced by Salt on one side for sterility and Sunflower seeds on the other for fertility. At the end of the walk opposite the entrance on the back of the room across a long, wide path, you were presented with a solitary man staring at a sunset or maybe, his life—this new apocalyptic world that has dismantled the old has problems, but the individual has a vision. But is it his vision? Is he there by choice? Has he been awaken to the realities of war or to the realities of peace. The man is surrounded by the names of great philosophers that have seemingly opened a path (represented by the rainbow above the man) for him. Does this mean that the path can only be brought through learnt knowledge? Has he been set free by shared knowledge? Or has he set himself free through self-recognition and self-awareness or is he merely in a meditative space? … as he is floating on water.

Happily admiring the darkness and light of the exhibit. There is a light at the end of a tunnel which seemingly came through knowledge, meditation and self-awareness.

Since, I began my journey in Milan, I started recording and documenting a variety of sounds, patterns, and textures of the city and beyond. I’ve drawn, watched, experienced, but mostly listened. Listened to birds chirping, people conversing, and performers performing … it all adds to the fabric of a city. Most sounds blend into each other, but at times, you will hear something that captures your attention. Here is a rough sampling of sounds, not yet a choreographed compilation, but rather a taste of what has captured my attention and expanded my experience in Milan and other cities abroad.

 

Traveling to other countries has definitely been a great experience—from sounds and smells to actions and sentiments—not only have the people been friendly, they have also been welcoming and easy to converse with (in a limited sense of the word). Every encounter has been helpful. If Milan made great progress due to its struggles, so have the German citizens. Not only did the Jewish people suffer during the Natzi Reich, but so did the German population. And at times, it was felt … every memorial, every wall, every step, every remembrance. I can’t even begin to comprehend or imagine how it must’ve during that time. Yes, communities did get destroyed and many, many (millions and millions) of people lost their lives, but communities were built. Support systems did rise, and many did try to overthrow the Reich—both within and out. But Many, many lives were lost during the process.

Now, they have overcome and thrived. The energy, the passion and the eagerness is visible through the community. There was music at every other corner, couples dancing on the streets, couples being affectionate towards each other and many just enjoying life at the park. There were also people meditating at the gate, others protesting next to the meditators, and others performing on the streets to entertain. All respecting each others’ space. And the food, the food was … delicious! From Currywurst to Vietnamese to Indian to middle-eastern food, everything was different, but sensational. If diversity manifests itself through the food then, Germany is gleaming with it. I heard Spanish, Dutch and I don’t know how many more different languages in the city. The people have definitely embraced diversity. If the structure for diversity in a city is based on its food then, the German people have spoken and have embraced a new era. Needless to say, my opinion is based on first impressions, I truly don’t know the true structure of the city, or if all people embrace this new form of living. But, I do hope many people have welcomed and embraced each other. The sense for life and love has truly become the fabric of the city, in my opinion. Of course, there is still poverty, homelessness and struggles, but everyone has an energy that can only be experienced and not explained or written about.

 

 

After my airport experience, I recalled John Thackara’s article regarding design. The quote that arose for me was “After building objects as projections of our bodies, we can now begin to consider them as projections of our minds.” This is a beautiful inspiring note. Not only does it inspire me to continue with my research, but also encourages me to ask questions … How do we begin to design objects after design? How do we design them to remind us of who we truly are? How do we begin to design artifacts that inspire our minds to grow? How do we reconnect with one another? How do we negotiate and navigate these questions with the global markets? I don’t have any answers to these questions, but it sure is exciting that there are conversations happening. There are small actions taking place in the design world. Let’s hope that the transformations occurring take us (the designers) back to aspirations of the futurists, to the radical movements that inspired and helped shift the ideals of everyday life. As John Thackara commented that small actions can transform bigger experiences and systems. Let’s hope that we begin to reconnect to the ground, to nature, to our true selves.

A weekend in Scotland via London… stuck in an airport in a 4-hour layover was stranger than strange. As I walked out of the immigration checkpoint and into the “gates” area, I found myself surrounded not only by advertisements, I was bombarded by these massive airport retail stores. My first thought was, wow… who’s designing these and who’s making money? The second thought, after I took a minute to digest all this information—and it is the most important … How is this affecting our lives and the way we communicate with each other? Am I the only one noticing something wrong with this picture? Everyone was shopping without realizing that they had become numb to their surroundings. Most people were either shopping or looking down on to their phones. Never had I experienced such an unsual event. The beauty at airports for me was seeing people communicate with one another—either saying goodbye to someone with a long affectionate embrace, happy smiles because their on vacation or simply, a caring glance to the person sitting next to you. The luxury of traveling (at least for me) was to converse with others across the globe, meet new people and experience new places. I don’t recall traveling as a shopping experience. Have we lost the art of traveling or has it simply shifted as our needs have changed? Has our environment simply adjusted to the populations needs? Are consumers asking for this or are they being fed this? Has traveling simply shifted to shopping? How is this impacting the way we travel and live? Lots of questions … maybe, a topic for another discussion.

Another exciting week in Milan. From Portaluppi to Terragni to Castiglioni to Boccioni to a small glimpse into Aldo Rossi’s design process. Here are my takeaways from all these designers.

Portaluppi – an explorer, experimenter and visionary. He marbled at patterns, form and function. He loved to throw something old into a contemporary object and vice versa. He designed furniture that was ahead of its time. The black couch in his studio, for example, that particular form is still in use today. He shared his vision for the future and many designers were inspired by that spirit.

Boccioni – artist, painter and activist. Amazing attention to detail. I was drawn to his pencil studies and portrait work. Especially, the emphasis placed on the human nose—each stroke on the nose added a different quality to each portrait. He truly captured the essence of each person. A shift in his work occurred when he started to deconstruct the image. By placing equal focus on both the object and subject with movement and color, he reversed the importance of the image. He was inspired and drew from his environment. He went from representative to abstract. Or to better describe this shift, he became a futurist, which was similar to cubism, but more powerful, in my opinion, as they were also making political statements. His shift in philosophy also separated him from the Divisionists.

Terragni – an architect that designed for the fascist regime. He loved to design utilitarian buildings with uniformity and symmetry. He represented uniformity, but designed for very specific needs. He was mindful of every object and its use. The attention to project’s needs was incredible. He designed an elementary school that completely captured my interest. Although, a bit off putting for me, it was amazing to see that he designed every single element of the building was designed to fit a child’s body. The chairs, the tables, the bathrooms, the sinks and even the stairs. The stairs in the back of the building were situated exactly to the Roman tower on top of the mountain (maybe, placed for a historical lesson for the children.) Every aspect of a building had to have a purpose.

Castiglioni – an amazing collector, observer and a very creative man with a sense of humor. He was a problem solver that truly believed in the term form follows function. He was known to say … “if you are not aware, you are not a designer.” His inspiration for his designed objects were actually anonymous objects. For example, he was inspired by a fisherman’s cup to design a lamp. He was also inspired to design a 3 point balance system by a milking chair/stool. His studio was filled trinkets and anonymous object.