Salone del Mobile.Milano is back in the U.S. for a sneak peek at the 63rd edition of the Fair, to take place from April 8-13 in Milan. The curtain opens on the world premiere of “Villa Héritage”, the large-scale installation (Pav. 13-15) by architect Pierre-Yves Rochon.
Rooted in the universal concept of a form, the square, “Villa Héritage” eschews all outlandish attempts to impress and offers instead an invitation to pause and reflect through the expression of a quiet beauty that is not blatant but perceived, touching all the senses. Each room is a chapter in a story where design and the arts entwine. “Villa Héritage” is not just a tribute to design, but a statement of intent: every detail speaks of heritage and innovation, of the past reflected in the present to imagine the future.
“Heritage is not a constraint; it is a source of freedom,” says the artist. “Understanding and mastering the legacy of our craft gives us the tools to reinvent and push the boundaries of design. ‘Villa Héritage’ celebrates this dynamic relation between history and contemporary creativity.”
©Archivio Change Performing Arts
Additionally, Robert Wilson will open the week of the Salone with his extraordinarily powerful project “Mother”, dedicated to Michelangelo’s “Rondanini Pietà”, one of Milan’s most iconic symbols on a par with Leonardo’s “Last Supper”. Wilson’s vision promises to be one of rare intensity, thanks to his unparalleled ability to blend light, sound and movement into a creative narrative with a strong emotional and aesthetic impact. On April 10, the American artist will also be the protagonist of a Masterclass at The Euroluce International Lighting Forum: an absolute master in the creative use of light for theater and video art, his ability to transform stage space into emotional experiences makes him an icon of the contemporary avant-garde.
“I set out to create my own vision of Michelangelo’s unfinished masterpiece torn between a feeling of reverential awe and profound admiration,” explains Wilson. “Prevailing over all, however, is a feeling of serenity, of peace with oneself even in the face of the tragedy of death. Which for me has nothing to do with religion. It is a universal image, a spiritual experience that moves something deep in us that needs no explanation.”
Euroluce 2023/The City of Lights ©Alessandro Russotti
“The two projects, ‘Villa Héritage’ and ‘Mother’, will give us access to spaces that are an invitation to slow down, to observe, to feel: they suggest a necessary pause, reminding us all that beauty, at its most authentic, transcends all boundaries and becomes a universal language capable of moving, inspiring and connecting,” shares Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile.Milano.
After New York, the Salone will stop in Toronto on 23rd January and then return to Europe to begin the countdown to the 63rd edition of the Salone del Mobile.Milano. The run-up will be heralded by the new communication campaign “Thought for Humans.” under the banner of Dentsu Creative Italy, which entrusted American photographer Bill Durgin with distilling the subtle relationship between the human body and matter, the starting point and the intersection of every experience with the world of design.
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