Saara Kaatra is an obsessive drawer and a porcelain specialist. She is born in Sweden but lived most of her life in the little capital of Finland. Currently based somewhere between Berlin, Helsinki and Zürich. We totally love her Pieces of porcelain, let’s have a look at them!
CAMBIO BY FORMAFANTASMA
Cambio is an ongoing investigation into the extraction, production and distribution of wood products by the Italian designer duo Formafantasma.
Curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist and Rebecca Lewin, in Italy with Cristiana Perrella, the exhibition analyzes the supply chain of the carpentry industry, one of the most impactful production activities both in economic terms than ecological.
This multidisciplinary exhibition highlights the crucial role that design can play in our environment, and its responsibility to look beyond the edges of its borders. The future of design can and must attempt to translate emerging environmental awareness into a renewed understanding of the philosophy and politics of trees that will encourage informed, collaborative responses.
For the exhibition in Prato, the reflections conducted by the original project will be the subject of new combinations and further suggestions, such as the comparison with Giuseppe Penone's long-term research on trees.
Until October 24 at Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci!
Photo credits:
Pic 1:
Formafantasma, BEKVAM, 2020, installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
Pic 2:
Formafantasma, The Archive of Lost Forests, 2020 (detail), installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
Pic 3:
Formafantasma, The Archive of Lost Forests, 2020, installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
Pics 4, 5 and 7:
Installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
Pic 6:
Formafantasma, The Archive of Lost Forests, 2020 (detail), installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
Pic 8:
Formafantasma, 51 years, 2020, installation view, Formafantasma. Cambio, Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, 2021. Pic © Ela Bialkowska.
THE MOTLEYS BY BRIGHT POTATO
Created by London based design studio Bright Potato, The Motleys are a collection of playfully recognisable characters that are designed and precisely crafted to be beautifully simple and bring joy and fun wherever they go. From the spiked hair of the Punk to the pointy hat of the General, the full collection of 20 individual characters are beautifully designed with gorgeous details that give a unique personality to each one.
These cute characters are not only environmentally sustainable because they are made completely from solid hardwood, but for each Motley sold the creators will plant 5 trees to offset the material and resources used to produce each one. Adding to these impressive green credentials, the Motleys only use renewable and recyclable packaging material to deliver each one.
The cleverly designed collection uses magnets to connect the pieces of each character, bringing endless fun to each in assembling and disassembling, but also offers even more fun when exchanging different parts from completely different characters.
As a collection of characters representing the variety of human cultures, the Motleys celebrate diversity and promote respect between all people. Amazing!
ATELIER TOIT BY STUDIO ROOF
Atelier Toit is a new line of products: a collection of unique handmade decorative pieces originating from Studio ROOF designs that have been given an unexpected conceptual twist. Let’s have a look at this new made-in Amsterdam forest collection!
NIDO
NIDO is a small brand for kids, which has been hand knitted garments ethically in Uruguay
by woman artisans in their homes. They produce small quantities one by one, they work with sustainable fibers, like merino wool for winter collections. Merino wool is a high quality natural fiber.
100% natural, renewable, biodegradable and recyclable. Lovely!
AXO IN FABULA BY CAPPELLINI
During the last Milano Design Week Cappellini launched AXO IN FABULA, the project that investigate the theme of socio-cultural regeneration through Elena Salmistraro’s imaginative and surreal language.
The company presents AXO, a funny salamander, shifting in appearance and with an extraordinary ability to regenerate itself.
AXO is a rag doll, such as those of the past which were sewn by grandmothers reusing, re-assembling and regenerating pieces of fabric giving life to unique pieces. Then and now, the rag doll preserves a message of environmental sustainability enriched today as a social value: AXO, in fact, was born from the collaboration with the Cooperativa Alice, promoter of "Ethically made in Italy", the first made in Italy supply chain guaranteed by WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization), together with Il Laboratorio based in Quartoggiaro and Fiori All'Occhiello in Baranzate.
AXO IN FABULA is the result of an exciting choral project focusing on the impact of the textile industry on the environment, but also the importance of the re-inclusion of women and fragile categories in society, to offer them a new opportunity for life and a rebirth. An installation of abstract works defines the path inside the Cappellini showroom, telling the genesis of the project and its concept of change and regeneration. It is a journey through sculptures also made of fabric immortalizing the moments of AXO's growth, from birth to transformation, from its being a fabric-cell to becoming a dream-doll.
The path towards rebirth goes on in the Cappellini showroom also through the reissue of iconic pieces and new products. Among the big names comes back Jasper Morrison with his San Siro: an armchair with a precise design, rigorous shapes and perfect proportions, renewed with new upholstery. Morrison also exhibits the iconic and versatile collection of Tate chairs, offered with new finishes and upholstery and also a remake of the elegant Day Bed, the first product presented by the English designer for Cappellini together with Thinkingman's chair, revisited for the occasion in a light gray velvet and black nylon according to the most contemporary haute couture trends.
Reinterpreted in a new natural finish there is also Hiroi, the essential seat designed by Cyril Dunděra &Matěj Janský both for the home and public spaces. New shades give new life to the two-tone sphere Cord Lamp by Werner Aissingler; the Litos sofa by Sebastian Herkner is enriched with corner and terminal elements allowing the creation of new and wide configurations.
The set-up is completed by some iconic creations of the brand such as the very thin Vendôme table and the small Gong tabletop by Giulio Cappellini, the Riga desk by Marc Newson and the sinuous Side1 designed by Shiro Kuramata. There is no shortage of projects perfectly interpreting the theme of transformation such as the soft and multifaceted Lud'o armchair by Patricia Urquiola and the Marfa seat collection designed by the Cappellini Design Team.
FILIBABBA
Filibabba is a Danish GOTS-certified design brand located in Tilst near Aarhus. They design and develop baby and children's interior products in a timeless design with a strong focus on sustainability, quality and multifunctionality. They care - for the planet, for the people, for the product. Great!
LIGNE NOIRE ENFANTS
Ligne Noire enfants is a “knitwear only” total look collection. Their guiding idea is to create sweaters, dress, pants, jackets and refined accessories on a relaxed, everlasting style. Classic search of style mixed with unconventional new materials. Each collection celebrates the tradition and culture of the Italian Alps: warm and soft sweaters in colors that remind us of nature, woods, flowers, lawns, mountains….The looks recall the past in order to create a contemporaneous poetics.
All fabrics/yarns are handled expertly by Italian manufacturers. We love them 100%!
HAENSKA
Haenska is a design studio in west Berlin with a focus on bag and luggage design. We love their schoolbags with water-repellent fabric made from recycled marine plastic and 100% recycled PET felt made in Italy. Let’s discover them, they are so beautiful!
STUDIO DITTE
Studio Ditte is a Dutch design label with unique interior products. The products are designed with love and attention to detail by Marieke, Natasja and Endry. In the designs of Studio Ditte you will discover a new detail every time. The collection consists of wallpaper, bedding and backpacks. Products with original prints that make you smile. We lov e the backpacks and pencil cases are made from recycled PET bottles, le't’s have a look at them!
HERE & THERE BY THEA LU
Thea Lu is an illustrator as well as a children picture book author. Her work is lyrical, metaphorical, subtly humorous, and rich with details and textures. Concept books, non-fiction books and interactive books are her favorite genres.
Look at her Here & There unpublished project: two protagonists’ life stories which are quite different but also deeply echoed. The purposely designed symmetrical compositions and equaled texts build up the connection between the two characters, leading readers to think about the similarities between them.
Let’s discover it together!
Any publisher interested in the rights of this title can contact VeroK Agency at vero@verokagency.com
OWEN DAVEY
Owen Davey is an award-winning Illustrator from the UK. Since 2009 he has worked with many clients including (but not limited to) Google, WWF, Facebook, Sony, Lego and National Geographic. He is the lead illustrator on the multi-award winning app Two Dots and he has produced many picture books which have been published in over 17 languages all over the world. We totally love his underwater-themed umbrella!
DANIELA SOSA
Daniela Sosa is a freelance illustrator originally from Romania and currently based in Cambridge, UK. She is a graduate of the Children’s Book Illustrations MA course at the Cambridge School of Art. Her main focus is children’s books, but she also enjoy doing other types of illustration work. She works mostly digitally but she likes to create the look of traditional media in her illustrations. Lovely!
JIAQI SHAO
Look at this is a short comic by Jiaqi Saho: it expressing his thoughts and recreations of the 996 working mode. 996 working mode is a kind of mode that people have to work star at 9 am and left at 9 pm, 6 days a week. What he wants to express is the state when someone's life is extremely overwhelmed by work that all that is left is the mechanical work of day after day.
NICOLETTA CARLOTTO
Nicoletta Carlotto lives on Como lake with her partner and her children, Maurizio and Giordano. She works as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator for independent brands, companies and individuals.
She loves creating something unique, feeling part of a special story. She is also the co-founder of an emerging independent brand called "MINIO" that produces illustrated printed fabrics dedicated to home decor.
HELGA AVERSA
Helga Aversa is a young illustrator and designer who hails from Naples. She has a degree in Product Design from the Polytechnic University of Milan, studied illustration at MiMaster, and has attended illustration courses at the International School of Sarmede and Central Saint Martins of London. We fall in love with is "Lettere X" project, born from the idea of making people relive the emotion of receiving or sending a letter.
After the pandemic period and the shared nostalgia for travelling... she thought: if people can't travel, let's bring places to people!
MALIN ROSENQVIST
Malin Rosenqvist has an MA in ANIMAGE (animation & illustration) from the Hochshule Luzern Design & Kunst in Lucerne, Switzerland. She also studied at the Royal College of Art, Craft & Design in Stockholm, Sweden. Now she lives and has her studio in Bergshamra, Sweden. Look at her illustrations, they are so beautiful!
NADADELAZOS
Nadadelazos clothing was born in 2010 in the hands of the german designer based in Madrid, Kristina Laux. Since 2013 Kristina and Roberto Visús are the owners.
It was born committed to children inherit a better world. For this reason, and in line with their defense of the environment, they try to help in this regard with small actions such as working with eco-friendly fabrics as organic cotton. Following this commitment, they spent part of their profits to support programs and charitable activities through various organizations. We love it!
MR MARIA
Where there is light there are shadows, but there’s no need to fear. The elusive Mr Maria will always be there, keeping a watchful eye on his family shining bright.
Mr Maria welcomes anyone with the power of imagination, young and old, because only together the most beautiful tales can be told. Follow the light of their iconic lamps and they will guide you along the simple lines of their creation. Welcome their characters into your home to become family, their timeless peaceful presence will keep you company for many years to come.
PIM PAM
Pim Pam is a design-led label of reusable nappies based in Brighton, UK. After 15 years of working as an illustrator, the founder Aless Baylis found herself on maternity leave after having Lola, and that's when the idea came to her. It was going to be reusable nappies.
After having a baby you realise how many disposable nappies you go through and it's a staggering amount. It's a lot of plastic being thrown away! So she got to work. It's been a dream come true combining her illustrations, her love for well designed products, and a sustainable concept.