In February, Lineapelle hosted the second edition of Lineapelle Interiors, the exhibition project dedicated to the combination of leather and other materials in furnishing accessories. One objective is to highlight the union between the world of design and craftsmanship. At the very heart of this encounter – in the ‘intermediate process’ – lie the reasons for Italian excellence
by Domenico Casoria
That Made in Italy was not just a label had long been clear. However, what is not always apparent at first glance is how much the creative process calls into play an infinite number of factors, including that middle world of craftsmen working on the dream that we continue to export everywhere. This year’s edition of Lineapelle Interiors – the exhibition showcasing how leather and other materials can meet in design – hosted 19 installations created by 37 companies. Which collaborated to enhance and implement innovative excellence in the supply chain in the interior design sector.
Made in Italy
Maurizio Molini, creative director of Lineapelle Interiors, stressed that Made in Italy is not just a finished product. “Through this space, we want to make the production process evident. Made in Italy is everything that lies between the idea of a product and its realisation. In other words, the exorbitant number of workers and skills are the result of two thousand years of history. In short, it is an articulated labyrinth of knowledge, skill and vision. ‘The conception of a piece of furniture is similar to that of artistic practice. In an Italian Renaissance painting, the way the work was made was an integral part of the work. Not secondary, but equal,’ Molini adds.
The process of creation
A process of creation cannot, therefore, be summarised merely as a succession of technical steps. It is not so much the passage from idea to realisation as the philosophical path that passes through matter and form to become tangible. The middle point, that place-non-place between the birth of the concept and the finished product, is where the true art of savoir-faire manifests itself. In some ways, it is an act of resistance against the logic of immediacy: a defence of creating something that is not just an object but an aesthetic experience, a part of a renewing tradition. Here, vision is confronted with the reality of the material, that manual knowledge meets design. It is not simply a matter of applying techniques or methods but of a transformation that is both rational and emotional.
Creative thinking becomes concrete
And it was precisely concreteness that was one of the keys to understanding the installations presented this year. Or perhaps the balance between the artistic side and the usability. Floors, walls, tables, chairs, screens, sofas, bedrooms and bathrooms – everything seen at Lineapelle Interiors can be used in everyday life. On those sofas, we can laugh or cry one day. Around those tables, we become a family. In that furniture, settle who we really are. Isn’t that the real secret of Made in Italy?
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