Milan Design Week showcases reinterpretations of design icons at Salone del Mobile 2024

A tribute to design: Exhibition showcases reinterpretations of design icons at the Salone del Mobile

starts tomorrow Salone del Mobile, the world's most important furniture fair, Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for unique objects, is present at Milan Design Week for the first time.

Under the title “Homage”, Catawiki presents contemporary interpretations of world-famous design objects such as the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi’s “Freeform” sofa and side tables by Gianfranco Frattini.

The exhibition is mirrored in a globally available auction . This means that the latest interpretations of the design classics can not only be viewed on-site, but also bid on in limited editions at Catawiki until April 28th.

The highlights at a glance:

• Online auction house Catawiki, in cooperation with Masterly , at Milan Design Week
• The exhibition “Homage” showcases current interpretations of design classics
• Trendy pieces from the Salone for your own home: The objects are being auctioned exclusively on Catawiki in limited editions

CATAWIKI @ MASTERLY, Salone del Mobile 2024

Catawiki, the leading online marketplace for unique objects, is exhibiting at Milan Design Week for the first time. Together with Masterly, the renowned Dutch pavilion at the Salone del Mobile, the online auction house is presenting contemporary interpretations of world-famous design objects in the exhibition "Homage".

The exhibition in the prestigious Palazzo Giureconsulti not only presents the newly designed objects, but also their corresponding iconic counterparts: including the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames, Isamu Noguchi's "Freeform" sofa and side tables by Gianfranco Frattini.

The Milan design fair kicks off a total of four online auctions curated this year by Masterly founder Nicole Uniquole.

Nicole Uniquole, founder and curator of Masterly:

Masterly is collaborating with an online marketplace for the first time, and I am delighted to present Catawiki, a successful Dutch brand, under the Masterly umbrella. Visitors to the Palazzo will not only have the opportunity to view these unique designs up close, but can also actively bid and win one of the objects.”

Eléonore Floret, Senior Design Expert at Catawiki, adds:

Together with Masterly, Catawiki brings together an international lineup of established and emerging designers and creatives. We look forward to showcasing reinterpretations of design classics with this exhibition as part of Milan Design Week 2024 and giving emerging designers the opportunity to present their work to an international audience through our platform.”

The designers and their reinterpretations of the classics

Stefan Scholten | Charles and Ray Eames

Since graduating from the Design Academy Eindhoven in 1995, Stefan Scholten has become one of the most influential voices in Dutch design. He is known for his minimalist style, which he combines with a unique use of color.

For the exhibition and auction “Homage”, he redesigned the Lounge Chair by Charles and Ray Eames. As a first step, Studio Stefan Scholten analyzed every single element of the iconic design.

This reductionist approach led to the contemporary interpretation of combining the chair and ottoman into a sculptural piece with the original ergonomic silhouette and carefully balanced proportions. Wood is the central element of this reinterpretation, stripping the chair of its upholstery and metal parts to give it an authentic Californian look.

Grace of Glaze | Emile Galle

Simone Doesburg is a Dutch ceramicist and designer based in Utrecht. With her porcelain tableware Grace of Glaze, she redefines the ordinary and transforms everyday moments into extraordinary displays of beauty.

For the joint auction by Catawiki and Masterly, she created a custom-colored tableware set inspired by a vase by Emile Gallé. Drawing on the vase's color palette, Simone Doesburg's handcrafted ceramics feature combinations of deep winter blue and warm summer tones.

Laurène Guarneri | Pierre Paulin

Designer Laurène Guarneri is a graduate of the Beaux Arts de Paris-Cergy and lives in Paris. She works with glass and mirrors to capture the fleeting, poetic moments of everyday life.

Laurène Guarneri drew inspiration for the exhibition “Hommage” from Pierre Paulin’s “Orange Slice” armchair. In her reinterpretation, she transformed the warm colors and repeating forms of the armchair into the “Double Jaune”.

Through a dynamic interplay of reflections and transparencies, the designer gave the mirror a new dimension of depth, creating the impression that the forms merge into one another and separate from each other.

Atelier Ferraro | Emile Galle

After studying architecture in Italy and Greece, Emanuele Ferraro to Germany, where he collaborated with a number of renowned architectural firms and opened his own design studio in 2019.

In the auction and exhibition “Homage,” Emanuele Ferraro is represented with an object from his  “ephemeral décor” , in which he reinterprets objects by Émile Gallé. For the delicate patterns, Ferraro used real flowers to transfer their essence onto the glass. Colors and floral elements undergo a transformative process of abstraction and reduction.

Each vase is a unique piece, crafted with utmost precision and the unique craftsmanship of the cameo technique.

Ricardo Parmiciano Borgström and Giorgia Farina | Bhulls

Behind the design studio Bhulls are partners Ricardo Parmiciano Borgström and Giorgia Farina. Together they develop unconventional pieces that blur the lines between art and design. With an experimental approach, they explore the interplay of aesthetics and functionality to create sculptural collector's items.

Bhulls emphasizes simplicity in design and manufacturing. A modern reinterpretation of Sapper's iconic Plico folding trolley is the "Replico": a low table that captures the elegant form of the original design. It highlights the aesthetic and functional features of the trolley and presents them in a timeless form.

The table is made entirely of aluminum and is composed of three folded metal sheets and four connecting details. The black lacquer finish lends the design a sense of understated elegance, while red lacquered details evoke Sapper's signature style. The focus is on a minimalist approach with minimal waste.

Nick and Sophie Jansen | Vonn Jansen

The up-and-coming design brand Vonn Jansen, run by Dutch siblings Nick and Sophie Jansen, has developed into a renowned furniture brand. The company combines modern design with traditional craftsmanship.

For the exhibition “Homage”, Sophie Jansen drew inspiration from the side tables of Gianfranco Frattini and one of her own signature designs, the “Trinity Dining Table”. She reworked the square shapes and exceptional veneers into a high-quality version of the design.

Aleksandra Gaca

Designer Aleksandra Gaca creates innovative woven textiles at the intersection of art, design, and architecture. She combines traditional weaving techniques with cutting-edge technology and is known for her work with three-dimensional textiles. Gaca designs textiles that engage all the senses through the visual, tactile, and acoustic qualities of her designs.

To mark the collaboration between Catawiki and Masterly for Milan Design Week 2024, Gaca has designed a limited-edition set of her signature “Bloko”cushions. Inspired by the shape of Zaha Hadid’s vases, a sophisticated diagonal gradient of color flows across the bold “Bloko”graphics. The cushions will be part of the subsequent auction at Catawiki.

Antonio Barone

Antonio Barone studied industrial design at the Politecnico di Milano and has worked in Italy and the Netherlands. He views objects as a system of individually transformable components that can alter our everyday experience through ordinary materials.

His design for the exhibition “Homage” was inspired by Isamu Noguchi’s sofa “Freeform” . His interpretation is an arrangement of organic, malleable cushions placed over a grid.

Tineke Beunders and Nathan Wierink | Aptum

Aptum brings excitement and magic to a space with her light installations. Her designs can be realized in unlimited configurations for any living and working environment, showcasing the diverse facets of lighting: from colorful and chaotic to understated and geometric.

Aptum is the brainchild of design duo Tineke Beunders and Nathan Wierink. They specialize in lighting objects and have over ten years of experience in product design. Based in the heart of Eindhoven, they develop their playful light installations, experimenting with color and form, direct and indirect light, reflection, and contrast.

The latest design from the duo is an homage to "Hill"house chair. Aptum uses custom-made lighting to create a captivating effect with color reflections and depth.

All information about the exhibition

MASTERLY X CATAWIKI AUCTION DATES: April 15-28 | June 28 – July 9 | October 4-15 | November 22 – December 3

CATAWIKI @ MASTERLY, Salone del Mobile 2024
Palazzo Giureconsulti, Piazza del Duomo, Milan
Second floor, room 21

Opening hours from Tuesday, April 16, 2024 to Sunday, April 21, 2024:
Tuesday, 11:00 AM – 4:30 PM, Wednesday to Saturday, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Sunday, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

About Catawiki:
Catawiki is the leading online marketplace for unique objects to indulge your personal passions. Every week, over 75,000 items are auctioned – each one vetted and selected by Catawiki's hundreds of in-house experts specializing in art, design, jewelry, fashion, classic cars, collectibles, and much more. To date, the platform has sold over fifteen million objects, generating nearly half a billion euros in revenue in 2022 alone. Discover unique objects at catawiki.com or download the app.

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