Mutina is pleased to present Good Days, the new exhibition by Micheal Anastassiades, open to the public from September 23, 2024, to January 24, 2025. From September 23 to 27, a special invitation-only preview will be held.
The title follows his previous work exhibited at ICA (Milan) in 2021, Cheerfully Optimistic About the Future. “In a historical period full of negativity,” the designer states, “it is necessary to find a renewed positive vision of the world and the times to come.” For this reason, he starts with light, which has characterised his work for many years.
The exhibition opens with the iconic Bamboo Light, originally presented at ICA, and exhibited again at Spazio Mutina. The structures, made of bamboo canes held together by waxed linen threads, refer to the natural world and what it can offer—making human intervention almost superfluous. Thus, all the exhibited products propose a vision of design as a reworking of existing natural patterns—perfect precisely in their irregularity.
In addition to the Bamboo Light, the exhibition presents an installation of columns playfully positioned in the space and covered with a surface specially designed by Anastassiades for the occasion. This is a new square “tile” made of natural oak wood, created by assembling four pieces. The individual modules are obtained using the “cross- cutting” technique and feature the typical grain of logs in section, structured on concentric rings, hence the name— Rings.
On the walls, we find several models of the Continental Edition, a ceramic shelf in a white glaze with an irregular cut, standing in the space like an authentic sculpture. Each model is characterised by a break in the raw material on the upper edge, which, being handmade, makes each piece unique.
The last object created by Anastassiades for the exhibition is the Equinox Edition, a realistic ostrich egg made of white porcelain that can be used as a vase, its inclination being regulated by the insertion of a weight inside it that gives it stability and adjusts its tilt. Thus, Equinox gives the impression of being always delicately balanced, almost on the verge of falling. The tension generated by Equinox is an integral part of its symbolic strength, making it a precarious, pure object full of potential energy. The name refers to an ancient belief, in which it was possible to balance an egg only during the Spring equinox.
The exhibition offers a comprehensive view of the Cypriot designer’s poetic approach to design and materials, offering an image of a world where man and nature are in perfect harmony and where light becomes the vital force that animates everything.
Part of the space is dedicated to the presentation of the latest Mutina novelties, including the products created by French designer Ronan Bouroullec on the occasion of the Milan Design Week 2024. These include two collections—Adagio and Osso & Bottone—and several Editions—Camino, Camini, Candeliere, Finestra Giorno, Finestra Notte and Talea.
Access to spaces is only allowed by appointment. To book a visit, please write to mutinaforart@mutina.it.
