It took 118,966 steps to survey exhibitions and showrooms across Milan and booths within Salone del Mobile—but for Milan Design Week the lower back pain was worth it. The many meters walked brought forth inspiring curations and meaningful design. Within the whirlwind of activations, installations, cocktail hours, and booth appointments, thoughtful collaborations, attention to craft, and dutiful research united many of the works on display, both at the fair and beyond. The following are our favorite new releases from the week.
Richter Collection by Prostoria
At Salone del Mobile, a new collection brings to life unfinished work of Croatian architect Vjenceslav Richter. Richter worked across urbanism, sculpture, and art. He was a founding member of EXAT-51, a group of experimental artists and activists in Zagreb from 1950 to 1956. In addition to pavilion and exhibition designs, Richter was recognized for applying a systemic approach to urban design and sculpture, which is continued in his furniture. Prostoria brought 20 of these to life, drawn from never realized or finished sketches and one-off items that never went into production. This includes the minimal, tubular VR58 chair, originally designed and meticulously recreated through archival photography from Expo 58 in Brussels.
Dozie Kanu Table Collection
Artist and sculptor Dozie Kanu brings movement and flair to static stables with taut leather and fringe tassels. The work merges Kanu’s Nigerian roots with his Texas upbringing. The tables’ leather top reference an African drum in Kanu’s collection, while the fringe skirt alludes to both African Ceremonial dress and Texas cowboy culture.
CONNEXA by Rodolfo Agrella for NII
New Japanese office furniture brand NII, part of the long-standing ITOKI Corporation, presented a host of new work at Salone del Mobile. Included is a collaboration with New York–based designer and architect Rodolfo Agrella. CONNEXA’s glass top exposes its sleek, steel infrastructure below. The system allows different configurations and extensions.
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