Author: Hillary Henrici

This week we visited two museums in the heart of the Duomo area of Milan. The first was an Umberto Boccioni exhibition at Palazzo Reale and the second was the Futurism wing at the Museo del Novecento. I chose two peices from each museum that I thought captured the essence of Futurism in similar ways. The first is the classic scultpure by Umberto Boccioni, “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space”, that depicts a man in motion. With the growth industrialization and the machine age, the futurists were obsessed with the idea of movement. Motion manifested itself in transportation and the general mechanization of products used in everyday life. When we headed over to the Museo del Novecento, I stumbled across a painting by Giacomo Balla that featured shapes similar to those on the sculpture. This painting features Giacomo’s daughter running on a balcony. He chose to represent the motion by repeating the shape of her body over and over again. I thought it was interesting to see a similar concept fleshed out in two dimensions versus three dimensions. I can imagine this style being radical at the time because not only were people being exposed to new style, but they were also having a whole new industrialized world thrust upon them which was probably overwhelming.

 

 

It seems as though after the conclusion of every one of our design outings, the latest is always dubbed “my new favorite”. This could not be truer for our visit to the Alessi factory. As we approached Alessi by bus, we wound through the mountains and small scenic towns. Near the entrance, we crossed a bridge with water running under it which we later learned powered the entire factory when it was founded in the early 20th century. We were swiftly greeted by our enthusiastic tour guide who led us through the Alessi “archives”, which were huge, moveable vaults that contained everything that Alessi has ever produced. The mere organization of it all was something to be marveled. I can’t describe how moving it was to be able to see and handle the prototypes and objects designed by the fathers of Italian design such as Ettore Sottsass, Richard Sapper, Achille Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini, Aldo Rossi, and Philippe Starck. I got a ton of sketchbook content from this tour because it was all so fascinating. Next we headed to the Alessi store right across the bridge where we were tempted by all of the beautifully designed products. I’m excited about my purchase that is Mario Trimarchi’s ‘Fiato Sul Collo’ necklace, which is part of his highly successful line of products that feature many rectangular pieces converging together. I can’t wait to see what will be my next favorite trip!

       

 

It is hard to believe that we have already been in Milan for a week. I’m surprised at how quickly and easily we all have adapted to the European city life and survived our jam-packed days. Before I discuss my sketchbook, I want to make note of a few impressions I have had during these past 7 days.

It is hard to ignore the high level of sophistication in Milan. As a fashion admirer, I have so enjoyed observing the style of the women and men here. It seems that even the most “casual” outfits are carefully planned and always polished. The street styles often exhibit neutral colors, elegant lines, towering heels, and sleek hair. I spotted my favorite outfit so far on a women ordering a cappuccino while wearing striped palazzo pants, a white tank, and a pair of dainty black lace-up stilettos. One can tell that this is a design-oriented city in every sense.

Another observation I have made is that Italians are patient and kind. I’m trying hard to learn the language both with Duolingo and through the teachings of our linguist, Ilaria, but some phrases are not sticking. I am so grateful that the people I have encountered make a sincere effort to speak English or are kindly receptive to my broken Italian. Hopefully one day I will master this beautiful language so that I can come back to visit or live.

Even coming from New York, the U.S mecca of public transportation, I have been absolutely blown away by how clean, reliable, and navigable the public transportation in Milan is. The options are endless! The metro, train, bus, and tram systems have given me immense confidence in terms of getting out and exploring the city. I’m beginning to think it would be nearly impossible to get lost in the subway because it is so user-friendly.

The convergence of all of these impressions have made for some curious sketchbook content. I am still deciding what topic I will ultimately focus the whole book upon but I have taken some time to explore a few options. Originally, I was thinking that I would focus on the design of chairs throughout the city because I figured I would have lots of content and be able to explore some design history aspects. Our visit to the Musei Italiani provided some great forms to experiment with. However, since I am not truly interested in furniture design, I figured branding, typography, signage, or wayfinding would be a better path for me since I have experience with researching and creating within these facets of design. My week one sketchbook reflects those explorations. We shall see what next week brings!