People come before objects. This core belief underpins the INSIEME curatorial project, conceived by Sabato De Sarno, which will premiere during Milan Design Week in the striking setting of Piscina Cozzi, nestled in the heart of the Porta Venezia district. The designer and former creative director of Gucci has gathered 12 exceptional Italian artisans to explore the contemporary value of “making” – encompassing human labor, process, material, and the time required to transform knowledge into tangible objects.
The exhibition centers on six material families – glass, ceramic, metal, stone, wood, and textile – which form the bedrock of Italian craftsmanship. These are interpreted by complementary pairs of production companies, each delving into their chosen material and shaping it as a profound expression of their expertise. The featured pairings include: Glas Italia with Venini, Bonacina with F.lli Levaggi, Rubelli with Amini, Fornace Brioni with Solimene, Bottega Vazzoler with De Castelli, and Artieri 1985 with Hernaux.
«INSIEME stems from the desire to reveal what usually remains unseen: the working hand, the time embedded in objects, the knowledge passed down beyond words,” explains De Sarno. “I didn’t want to tell stories of objects, but of people. I wanted to give space back to those who craft beauty every day, often unnoticed. In a world that constantly accelerates, INSIEME chooses to pause».
For the project, the exhibition space has been curated by Tipstudio, while INSIEME’s manifesto artwork will be realized through the artistic contribution of JR: a large-scale, site-specific installation created on the facade of Piscina Cozzi, featuring the faces of the artisans involved in the exhibition.
