ron gilad takes designboom on a tour of his danese milano exhibition

during milan design week, designboom met ron gilad in the villa danese. for his second year as artistic director of the italian brand, gilad prepared an exhibition at its milanese headquarters in which he contextualized new designs amongst interpretations of some of danese’s most iconic objects, iconic pieces of enzo mari and bruno munari. take the tour with us!

exhibition images © designboom, product images © danese milano

welcome!

ron gilad revisited pieces that make the brand’s DNA and combined them with new designs of playful yet practical nature. charged with vitality and irony, the strictly analogue collection includes sculptural vases, minimal frames, decorative bowls and trays.

ron gilad demonstrating the surface + border no.1 from his 2017 collection for danese

focused on the interaction with the user, the objects create a reality in which they have been made for use beyond their required purpose. what appears as a bowl of fruit is simply a border marking its territory on the surface it comes in contact with, while powder coated metal frames outline objects and situations whose value is determined by the user.

gilad dropped his glasses on the tray to show that even though it has no bottom, it still works as a ‘svuota tasche’, a spatial confinement for all the things one wants to keep at hand

bruno munari’s 1957 cubo ashtray is enlarged to the proportions of a table

one of the reinterpretations of enzo mari’s prints is an animated series of frames

DIN A 4/3 frames by ron gilad

the space opens up to a lush garden

bruno munari’s light-shielding glasses, …

a view into the exhibition

the exhibition featured various of gilad’s fun interpretations of enzo mari’s apple and pear, on prints – first designed in 1963

fruit bowl no. 9 in beech wood by ron gilad

gilad explores the distances between parallels, so that the two converge and meet, making the shape of a gondola. geometry and tradition overlap and together constitute a precious object.

‘gondola’, centre piece by ron gilad

the ‘gondola’ is available in marble or transparent plexiglass

upside down view

various prints by enzo mari have been reinterpreted in the exhibition, including the red apple (1963) and the arrow (1972)

the pencil – theme and variations – artwork by ron gilad

ron gilad invited richard hutten and michele de lucchi to consolidate danese’s contract sector catalogue by increasing the versatility of its new products and application in various contexts.

‘undici’ trifoglio print by enzo mari, 1972 and ‘familia’ coat hanger, that makes a clear reference to it

‘familia’ by richard hutten

‘familia’ presents coat hangers a barrier system, tables and an umbrella stand. richard hutten has imagined a family of objects that all sprout from the same root. a free-standing pole, in three different heights offers a lot of possibilities. all the accessories work like mechanical plugs.

‘trespolone’ by michele de lucchi

michele de lucchi has developed a mechanically ingenious extendible concept, suitable for both – the home and office.

about ron gilad

born in tel aviv, ron gilad run his studio for 12 years in new york before relocating to milan. his work ranges from furniture design to jewelry and interiors. he has previously collaborated with flos, molteni&C, glas italia and more with designs that combine wit, elegance and practicality. in 2017 he was appointed artistic director for danese milano, the italian design brand founded in 1957 by bruno danese and jacqueline vodoz. danese is a division of artemide s.p.a.

ron gilad is a 2018 nominee in the ‘artistic realm’ category of designboom’s THE DESIGN PRIZE.

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