4 Characters in the 1st Act
4 Characters in the First Act, curated by Marco Sammicheli, is a collection of furniture pieces commissioned by Camp Design Gallery for Milan Design Week/ Fuori Salone 2017, and supported by Abet Laminati, that are bursting with personality.
Angiolo (side unit), Anselmo (table), Annibale (cupboard with legs) and Augusto (triangle cupboard) are profoundly proud, and highly ornamented designs inspired by Italy, and its incredible ability to always mix, and synthesise, influences from all around the world, as well as how its forms have been successfully exported all over the planet, transforming in fascinating ways in the process. Korean, Balian, Thai and Chinese inspired patterns are fused with Italian architectural forms, and are together updated with a bright, glowing, and joyful 21st century aesthetic, into furniture pieces that are manufactured using the latest in digital technology (the show is sponsored by Abet Laminati and its new digital laminating process), and the highest quality of traditional Italian craft, using hand-made Lombard timber carpentry and crafted, painted steel.
Imagine a Thai business lady, and an Italian backpacker, spending a long, exciting, passion and drug-fuelled night together in a Chinese club, well these pieces are the embodiment of this kind of wonderful, sensual and aesthetic trans-continental exchange. In an age of increasing isolationism and gloom, this is a collection that picks up on Marco Polo's legacy, and is the celebratory, colourful expression of a desire to travel, and to meet and make exciting, strange new things.