palazzo reale di genova exhibits work of contemporary designer vito nesta

palazzo reale di genova presents the newly opened exhibition, ‘diario di un designer. sessantanove giorni nel segno di vito nesta‘ (diary of a designer. sixty-nine days in the sign of vito nesta). the event marks the museum’s first exhibition dedicated to a contemporary designer, and was curated by alessandro valenti and luca parodi in collaboration with the architecture and design department of the university of genoa. the show, open until september 26th is celebrated as part of the genoa design week program.

images by andrea pedretti

the exhibition tracks the sixty-nine days vito nesta spent during lockdown while paying homage to the historic palazzo reale di genova with the resulting contemporary objects and furniture pieces. ‘diario di un designer. sessantanove giorni nel segno di vito nesta’ meanders along two pathways which show the designer’s work through two distinct methods. the first is dubbed ‘installation’ and the second, ‘camouflage.’ the installation view occupies the galleria degli specchi (gallery of mirrors), where a grand table displays one hundred dishes created during the days of isolation, during which the designer used ceramic like the pages of a diary. illustrated upon the dishes are motifs which express the mood of those lonely days, brief moments observed from the window.

the second exhibition method, ‘camouflage,’ sees vito nesta’s pieces subtly staged among the rooms of the palazzo reale di genova, occupying the space as a series of moments to be gradually discovered . the experience unfolds throughout the historic rooms, finely ornamented with stucco and frescoes, where the visitor unwittingly searches for and uncovers the contemporary pieces. vito nesta comments: ‘on the solemnity of a guardian place of the past where time seems to have stopped, I wished to establish a dialogue between objects, in a continuous reference between ancient and contemporary, opening new possibilities for reflection and use to visitors.’

niccolò casiddu, director of the university of genoa’s department of architecture and design comments: ‘a new chapter has been written with this exhibition of the adventure undertaken together with the palazzo reale di genova starting from 2018. it dates back to the time of the first convention that saw the university’s department of design and architecture research, on behalf of the museum, the theme ‘design for cultural heritage: from container to content.’ from then a lot of ground was covered, and this installation testifies to it.’

the exhibition, ‘diario di un designer. sessantanove giorni nel segno di vito nesta’ saw a collaborative effort. the table, designed for the exhibition, was made by studio F. limited edition poufs and two one-of-a-kind benches were produced by tappezzerie druetta and lined with textiles from the RUBELLI collection while the ‘turquerie’ carpet was designed for les-ottomans. the grand tour ceramic vases were designed for the 2019 exhibition: ‘musica da viaggio. vito nesta nelle stanze di giuseppe verdi’ and the glass vases were presented this year with the effetto vetro company.