By Jeanne Tan /asdf 08-04-2010

This Milan preview features two of our favourite group shows: Droog and Tuttobene and a relatively new collective returning to Milan for the second time, Dutch Invertuals.

Saved by Droog: for their 2010 exhibition, Droog presents rejuvenated items saved from liquidation sales and leftovers. For the past few months, Droog has been busy bidding at auctions to rescue liquidated items. In total 5135 objects were salvaged: 1 water cooler, 1 dining table, 2 bar stools, 4 metal trays, 6 wooden trays, 8 mirrors, 10 small bowl sets, 11 cups, 14 dog baskets, 20 dish towels, 40 glass vases, 50 safety vests, 60 sets of cutlery, 80 folding chairs, 90 flower pots, 100 candy pots, 102 wooden spoons, 168 plates of glass, 200 saltshakers, 448 wallets, 500 matchboxes, 720 cola glasses and 2500 handkerchiefs. With the intention to give these items a makeover, 14 designers were invited to take part resulting in a collection of 19 new products. Using the leftover items as a starting base, the quirky products range from folding chairs manicured by nail artists, to handkerchiefs printed with selected daily news articles, to spoons with non-edible yet mouth-watering coatings. The Droog revivers are Atelier Remy & Veenhuizen, Atelier Ted Noten, Ed Annink, Eric Klarenbeek, Erna Einarsdóttir, Luc d’Hanis & Sofie Lachaert, Maison Martin Margiela, Marian Bantjes, Marije Vogelzang, Mieke Gerritzen, Minale–Maeda, Roelof Mulder, Stefan Sagmeister and Studio Makkink & Bey.
Address: Via Alserio 22

With a more compact edition than previous years, the Tuttobene show located again in Zona Tortona, proposes its most promising show ever. Eleven designers have been selected in the Dutch group show that focuses on ecological and social sustainability in design. There are several returning names this year - Doreen Westphal, Marianne Kemp Horsehairweaving, Frans Willigers, Bo Reudler Studio, Studio-Re-Creation - and new comers to the group: Marjan van Aubel, Sjoerd Jonkers, Frederike Top, KLFK, Emma Klinkenberg, and Event Architectuur. Products include a porcelain cupboard, horsehair curtains, a robot fashioned from an old car, concrete vases and bamboo furniture made from rare mutated bamboo stalks.
Address: Via Savona 18

Returning to Milan for the second time, Dutch Invertuals, a group of former Design Academy Graduates, will show that design originates from exploration, taking familiar materials out of their usual context and putting them to use in an uncommon and therefore surrealistic way. Showing the fading borders between our virtual and our analogue world, the new works across product, graphic, food, spatial, fashion and material design include interactive cabinets of nostalgia, paper waste furniture and vessels, a vault for personal treasures, daylight captured in textiles, classical centerpieces translated into contemporary lamps and a machine that prints 3D artwork with the help of insects. This fusion is captured in a landscape, transforming the high standard exhibition venue into a surreal Dutch Invertuals world. The Dutch Invertuals are Daphna Isaacs, EDHV, Jon Stam, Laurens Manders, Mieke Meijer, Studio Jo Meesters, Raw Color and Verger. Initiated and curated by Wendy Plomp.
Address: Verger Store, Ground & 1st Floor, Via Varese 1

Main image: Droog
Image 1: Studio-Re-Creation
Image 2: Sjoerd Jonkers
Image 3: Bo Reudler Studio
Image 4: Dutch Invertuals

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