since i have the privilege to be exposed to many artists and designers i feel obliged to make special mention of the more memorable amongst them.
one of this year’s emerging themes definitely has something to do with material awareness… the relationships between ourselves and the inanimate; here i’m not referring only to objects but an awareness of the basic constructs that make up our world regardless of who or where we might be; earth, fire, water, air, time, gravity, space, nature and that which point to our origins, identity and place in the universe as contributors and consumers. the return of meaning in materials and the processes which make them part of our lives is a subliminal force that grounds us from our cyber tech journeys and this appreciation is what will eventually rekindle our responsibilities towards our environment. the work which i took into account were not only about the exploration of the idea, but also the execution of the concepts which bring this awareness across successfully.
and so enters andrea trimarchi and simone farresin of formafantasma whose projects embody that important material existentialism. building onto their existing portfolio of inventive projects, they have established themselves as one of the few future forward design studios; their humble approach combined with a philosophical and a conscious curiosity culminates in installations that provoke beyond the merely pioneering or practical.