“Into The Void” Brings Marble, Design Together in Milan

Art installation in support of CarraraMarmotec trade event.

MILAN, Italy – CarraraFiere, the host of the CarraraMarmotec trade event this week, made a big impression here during Milan Design Week last month.

For Interni Legacy, an art event at the State University of Milan and organized by the Italian magazine Interni, CarraraFiere offered “One – INTO THE VOID,” an installation designed by the Skidmore Owens & Merrill (SOM) architectural firm with paolo armenise+silvia nerbi of studio di progettazione zot in Marina di Carrara, Italy, as the project coordinators.

The work consists of the overlapping of 10cm-thick pieces of marble to form a single block that’s 4. 8 meters long by 2.8 meters wide and 2.8 meters high. The subtle variation in color and texture created by the horizontal laying of the pieces recalls the natural texture of the quarries in Carrara; the final shape is the result of a series of alternating geometric lines that refer to the artificial stratification created by man extracting the marble.

During the day, the void between the two parts captures the light and lends itself to various interpretations as the angle of the sunlight changes. When crossing it visitors perceive the space created within and are led to relate it to the dark bench outside.

The 80 tons of white marble float on a wooden platform over an overall surface area of more than 100 m².

“It is a perfect example to show the value and importance of marble,” said Phillipe Daverio, a noted Italian art critic now writing for Avvenire. “People pass through it and understand that marble can be walked on, and can appreciate what it is like to visit a quarry by moving in and out of the spaces created by the blocks”.

“This is the obvious sign that with this work we have managed to reproduce the sensations that a visit to the quarry gave us” said Yasemin Kologlu, an associate from SOM’s London office, during the press conference presenting the installation. The event drew international designers such Michele de Lucchi, Zhang Ke, Akihisha Irata and Jurgen Mayer; some of the works will also be presented in Carrara during this week’s show.

The project became reality thanks to the support of a group of stone companies serving as partners, including Franchi Umberto Marmi, Gemeg, Il Fiorino, Italmarble Pocai, Marmi Carrara, MT&S, Sagevan Marmi, SAM  and Savema, along with others including Jove, AntonioLupi, Sampietro 1927, Belle’ Forme and Martinelli Luce, who for the second year running was in charge of the lighting.

Paris Mazzanti, general manager of CarraraFiere, noted that, “once again we have had the support of important companies who have understood the value of the project as a promotions tool which brings marble, with such a significant installation as this, into a setting it belongs to: an important design event where it can show its timeless beauty.”

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