In a group exhibition that brings together designers, studios, universities, brands and galleries from the four corners of Switzerland, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Presence Switzerland shine the spotlight on a group of talents with ties to the country and the world of contemporary design.
Pro Helvetia and Presence Switzerland will present the work and collaborations of young Swiss designers, independent studios, universities and established brands at Milan Design Week 2024.
The group exhibition “JOY” will bear witness to the creativity, curiosity and dynamism of the Swiss design scene and its role as a positive factor in social transformation.
EMERGING TALENTS
What role can design play in society and how can joy be harnessed as a positive factor for transformation? In the “Emerging Talents” selection, Pro Helvetia will present eight young designers whose work is based on collective values. Using solutions such as material recycling and playful interaction, concrete proposals will be shown, ranging from a modern reinterpretation of traditional craft techniques to changing consumer habits.
IN COLLABORATION
The ‘JOY’ theme also inspires four collaborations between young designers and established brands that will be presented at the ‘House of Switzerland Milan’. At the heart of the exhibition is the joy of collaborating across fences and creating a vibrant community that inspires each other and stimulates sharing. Exposure ‘In Collaboration’ will be presented by Pro Helvetia.
UNIVERSITIES
Four design universities will also take the theme of ‘joy’ further: together with FREITAG, students from ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne will develop new industrial designs in tune with the brand’s ecological awareness and focus on circular economy principles. With their project ‘Taking Joy in Responsible Design’, the students of the Höhere Fachschule für Technik und Gestaltung (HFTG) in Zug offer answers to the challenges posed by urban heat islands. The Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Basel FHNW, on the other hand, will present ‘The Factory of Joy’, a series of works straddling technology, culture and sustainability, while HEAD-Genève will present its new book on the nocturnal history of architecture.
INSTITUTIONS, GALLERIES AND BRANDS
The NOV Gallery’s OUT OF THE WOODWORKS exhibition revolves entirely around emerging Swiss design that gives new form and meaning to wooden objects. With Felipe Ribbon, mudac invites reflection on Switzerland’s natural water resources and their spiritual potential. 4321-MARKET is a collaborative partnership of 20 designers whose souvenirs, made in Switzerland and Seoul, celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and South Korea.
At the in-house restaurant of the ‘House of Switzerland Milano’, several brands will present their collections made in collaboration with Swiss design studios: these are Karimoku New Standard (with BIG-GAME) and HAY, New Works and Vero (with Hannes & Fritz). Finally, the furniture maker Micasa will present the SOLE collection developed together with SULA.
From 16 to 21 April at Casa degli Artisti in Via Tommaso da Cazzaniga, Corso Garibaldi 89/A, Milan
