Long lasting values in Italian contemporary design
Tempo Italiano is a project to promote Italian design, starting with the Design Week in Stockholm between February 4th -7th 2014, under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Denmark, the Italian Embassy in Sweden, ICE – the Foreign Trade Institute in Sweden and the Italian Cultural Institute, a splendid example of Italian architecture and design designed in the Fifties by Gio Ponti that will house the event. Tempo Italiano is a selection of Italian design articles grouped together with the common denominator of time: the life span of a product, the time needed to create it, to produce it, to conclude its life cycle or to regenerate it, just sufficient to give it life and soul. The protagonists of Tempo Italiano are the long-lasting values rooted firmly in the unique identity of pieces of Italian design, the exclusive production methods, the expression of its creative meaning. The design aims to create a synergetic platform, complete with a well-defined coordinated image, a cultural program and professional meetings, representing a selection of Italian design excellence in Scandinavia. The objective was to devise a scenario to portray the identity of Italian design against a context suitable for the Scandinavian market. The event presents a selection of companies renowned for their authentic design, the attention paid to the craft aspects of the project, the skilled preparation processes, the innovative systems. The curator coordinates the components in an orchestrated operation for the entire system, to highlight the values of a new identity and a relationship with the material and the function. The event Tempo Italiano includes the following companies and designers: Antonio Aricò; Attico – Cristina Celestino; Clara Pozzetti; Dario Cecchini; Duccio Maria Gambi; Estel; Francesco Faccin; GamFratesi; G. T. Design; Ilpo; Internoitaliano; Lanzavecchia + Wai; RestartMilano; Serralunga; Slowd; Stefano Pugliese; Tobeus; Valcucine; Valerio Cometti+V12 Design and FornasettiThe calendar of seminars scheduled during the 4 days of the event, open to all and held in the Nervi hall of the Institute: 4 February 2014, 4 pm Barnaba Fornasetti, major personality in Italian design, will be part of the program of Tempo Italiano with an exceptional Lectio Magistralis and he will present a documentary video in absolute preview, about his more recent activities and the story of his father, the icon of Italian design Piero Fornasetti. 4 February 2014, 5 pm ‘Digital Italian Forerunners’ – Italian design based on tradition, craft work and new digital connections 5 February 2014, 5 pm ‘Italian food from scratch’ – New Italian cuisine; the time of design 5 February 2014, 6.30 pm Opening event with Primitive Design Performance by Francesco Faccin, with absolute preview of Re-Fire Kit6 February 2014, 5 pm ‘Time to design, time for an object to last, time to respect’ – What is the lifespan of an article, how long is needed to create it, how long is needed to produce it. 7 February 2014, 5 pm ‘North Connection: what makes Italian design successful in northern Europe’ – Distribution of Italian design in Northern Europe. The press conference to present Tempo Italiano has been scheduled on January 22nd 2014 at the Italian Embassy in Stockholm. Breakfast buffet will be served thanks to Canonica di Corteranzo Relais and Isabella Vini.