The Salone del Mobile returns to China, in Shanghai
With “The Orbit’s Orbit” in Shanghai, the event renews the narrative of design Made in Italy. An exclusive performative installation signed by the artist Matilde Cassani
The great international event of the Salone del Mobile.Milano in China started in Shanghai. it was conceived with the aim of promoting the design and furniture industry and renewing the dialogue between two increasingly interconnected cultures. China is in fact a strategic market which, in the first seven months of 2024, has repositioned itself in 7th place among the export destinations of the Wood-Furniture Supply Chain with a value of 286.9 million euros. A significant market that can offer business opportunities for Made in Italy, building important and lasting relationships.
Accompanied by the ITA – Italian Trade Agency, the Salone del Mobile.Milano is a partner of the West Bund Art & Design, a reference point on the Shanghai cultural scene. Inside the spaces of The Orbit, a futuristic building designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick, “The Orbit’s Orbit: a performative installation dedicated to Italian design signed by the artist Matilde Cassani” takes shape from 8 to 10 November.
“The presence of the Salone del Mobile.Milano in Shanghai as a partner of West Bund Art & Design is a happy and unprecedented event. China continues to represent a great opportunity for our companies: today, we have observed a great desire for Italy and a profound appreciation for the quality of our products. A large number of people attended the press conference and the opening night of The Orbit's Orbit, expressing enthusiasm for a project that has brought art and design into dialogue, geared to stimulating interest in establishing new relationships and contacts with the companies we have accompanied. This is precisely what our longterm commitment to China consists of, which is to create events capable of bringing together and involving all the new design communities in a fertile and valuable relationship with all our brands.” comments Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano.
Matteo Zoppas, President of the ITA – Italian Trade Agency, adds: “Italian furniture is a benchmark for high-end Chinese consumers. Despite the current challenges facing the Chinese market, Italy remains the leading country of origin for Chinese imports in this sector. ITA's objective is a leading position and competitive advantage in China through continued market oversight. Our partnership with Salone del Mobile is a key initiative in promoting the sector in China.”
The installation develops on circular axes where 65 iconic products of 36 of the main Italian furniture brands are displayed, while the epicenter is occupied by a stage that is host int a series of talks from 8 to 10 November. The brands involved: Antonio Lupi, Artemide, Barovier&Toso, B&B Italia, Baxter, Caccaro, Davide Groppi, Desalto, Edra, Ethimo, Flexform, Flos, Flou, Frigerio, Gessi, Glas Italia, Kartell, Living Divani, Martinelli Luce, Mattiazzi, Meridiani, Molteni&C, Nardi, Pinetti, Poliform, Porada, Porro, Riva 1920, Rugiano, Saba Italia, Scavolini, Tacchini Italia, Technogym, Turri, Villari, Visionnaire.
The artist Matilde Cassani explains: “The scenography comes alive through the movements of human bodies. Spectators and performers, merging with the spaces defined by design, transform the exhibition into a public square, in which the bodies move across the space, tracing geometries and living architectures. The Orbit's Orbit is a tableau vivant, a moving painting, in which actors, acrobats and spectators become the protagonists of a collective narrative: a fluid and dynamic sequence of scenes of public life.”
In addition, from 11 to 21 November, at the end of the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of SaloneSatellite, the Salone del Mobile.Milano arrives in Hong Kong and launches to the “SaloneSatellite Permanent Collection 1998-2024 Exhibition”.
The Talks Programme
Friday 8th November
2pm to 4pm
Art Waterfront International Forum City, Design and Sustainability
By invitation only
Participants:
Ma Yansong, founding partner of MAD Architects
Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano
Ute Meta Bauer, curator, Professor of Contemporary Art, Director of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Singapore, Artistic Director of the 3rd Biennale for Contemporary Art in Berlin
Martin Guinard, Curator of LUMA Arles
Alan Chan, founder of Alan Chan Design Company
Xu Bo, Associate Director and Head of Legal at China Property Hongkong Land
Moderator:
Cao Dan, President of Meta Media Art+/ Meta Media Group, Editor of The Art Newspaper Chinese, Art Review China & LEAP
Saturday 9th November
2pm to 4pm
AD100 Young Talk. In collaboration with AD China Thinking and Anti-Thinking
Participants:
Jin Qiuye, architect, scholar, critic and founder of Jin Architects
Li Hu, founding partner of OPEN Architecture, Kenzo Tange Design Critic in Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Visiting Professor at Tsinghua University and China Central Academy of Fine Arts
Maria Porro, President of the Salone del Mobile.Milano
André Fu, Founder of André Fu Studio and André Fu Living
Marva Griffin Wilshire, Founder and Curator of SaloneSatellite The young 2024 AD100 YOUNG talents
Moderator:
Beryl Hsu, Editor-in-Chief, AD China
Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director & Cultural Events Advisor of the Salone del Mobile.Milano
Sunday 10th November
2pm to 3pm When Design meets Art. A Conversation between Italy and China
Curated by Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director & Cultural Events Advisor of the Salone del Mobile.Milano
Participants:
Wu Bin, Designer and Architect, Founder of W.DESIGN
Feng Cao, Founder of the 20C Gallery, Collector and Aesthetic Communicator Matilde Cassani, Artist and Architect
Moderator: Wang Xu, design media expert