Makers 1: design comes to grip with matter

In Milan there is an unusual, fascinating exhibition space created in the 19th-century structure of Porta Nuova, one of the six gateways to the city along the circle of the Spanish Walls, which have been demolished.

Caselli 11-12 – Photo © Agnese Bedini DSL Studio

Caselli 11-12 (Piazzale Principessa Clotilde) is located inside what were once customs offices, carefully restored by Oltrefrontiera Progetti, a design and architecture firm operating in the retail and visual sectors, of which the gallery – though that is a limiting term, in this case – is an extension. 

The site is now hosting Makers 1, an exhibition (until 15/01/2023, open by appointment) on the relationship between designers and two specific materials: metal and wood. “Our starting point was precisely the direct contact between designers and matter,” says Veronica Gisondi, co-curator of the show. “We are interested in approaching people who push the conventions of what can be considered a piece of furniture or an artistic project. A sensibility that goes beyond product design in the strict sense of the term.”

Aluminium vase with side perforations, design Claudia Girbau – Photo © Frank Stelitano

Assemblage n. 31, design The Back Studio; Raster Furniture Armchair 01, design Antonio Barone; SE01, design Johan Viladrich – Photo © Frank Stelitano

Makers 1, the introduction says, “shortens the distances between thought and the creation of objects.” The pieces on display are a hybrid of find crafts, artistic practices and industrial culture: like, for example, the wood inlays – also using salvaged materials – by Lewis Kemmenoe or Jan Hendzel, which reinterpret an age-old tradition from a new perspective. The results are remarkable, on an aesthetic level and in terms of workmanship.

Two Point One, PRIMITIVES [1], design Levent Ozruh; Obione, design Zaven – Photo © Frank Stelitano

Assemblage n. 35, design The Back Studio – photo © Elena Coscia

The selection covers the works of 29 studios or individuals, many of whom are making their debut in Italy. The choice has followed “connections, paths that intersect – also on Instagram, why not? We wanted to create an interaction of different approaches, experiences and perspectives,” Gisondi continues. Makers 1 is the first episode of a series: at the moment, more exhibitions focusing on specific materials are underway.