Expo in Città: The Garden of Wonders, BE OPEN's Exhibition at the Botanical Garden, Closes After Great Success With the Public and Critics

The exhibition is part of the Made in...  program, BE OPEN's worldwide tour to explore the virtuous relation between crafts and design in different cultures around the world.

The exhibition, part of the Expo in Città    program - the scheme linking the major events in the city during the Universal Exposition - has also been the occasion for BE OPEN and its Founder Yelena Baturina to thank the city of Milan through the donation of the Pool of Thoughts,  a large sitting object situated in the Western zone of the garden. From there, the public will be able to contemplate the new wood area; the construction will start in Autumn 2015 and will trace the third unbuilt pool described in the original plan of Orto Botanico dating back to the 18^th century.

On the occasion of the press conference at the Braidense Library, inside the Brera Academy, BE OPEN and Yelena Baturina received the praise of officials from the Expo and the city of Milan for the effort put into the realisation of such an important exhibition. Davide Rampello, curator of Expo's Padiglione Zero, underlined "the generosity of Mrs. Baturina for an intervention which will remain even when the lights of the Universal Exposition will be switched off".  Filippo del Corno, Milan's alderman for Culture, highlighted "the importance of creativity which has flourished in the Botanical Garden in a city which is open to the world as a fertile land". Finally, alderman for Economic Development, University and Research, Cristina Tajani, expressed her delight at the realization of "a project which has become reality thanks to the BE OPEN Foundation which has helped to give back to the city a jewel still unknown like Orto Botanico. This exhibition is one of the strongholds of the Expo in Città calendar, and has been supported by the city of Milan from the very beginning".

The Garden of Wonders was a research on perfume focusing on the heritage of values of small business realities, communities which have been able to pass on traditions, expertise and relationships over the years.

Ferruccio Laviani acted as General Coordinator for the whole set-up where well-known designers Tord Boontje, Fernando and Humberto Campana, Dimore Studio, Front, Jaime Hayon, Lissoni Associati, Jean-Marie Massaud and Nendo presented their interpretation of defunct luxury brands.

Each of the installations inspired Gérald Ghislain, the founder of Histoire de Parfums, to create a unique fragrance which could combine the visual impact of the designers' works with the historic perfumes now gone.

Experts in the field have been involved in the curatorship of a historic/anthropological part called A Journey Through Scents introducing visitors to the most general aspects of the subject: a visual, interactive tour through the main fragrances, actors, and production techniques used for perfume production since the 18th century. Greek-born and cosmopolitan Curator and Researcher Elena Vosnaki has been appointed to oversee the historic part, whereas Gérald Ghislain curated the section devoted to fragrances and raw materials, besides creating a new fragrance for each historic brand.

Finally, a special pavilion hosted the section A Vision in a Box: an imaginative showcase of different bottles designed by renowned designers inspired by the shapes which will contain the fragrance of the future. Participants included Werner Aisslinger, Analogia Project, Philippe Bestenheider, GamFratesi, LucidiPevere, Karim Mekhtigian, Mist‐o, Ludovica e Roberto Palomba, Thukral&Tagra and Victor Vasilev.

BE OPEN's activities in Milan are also the result of Mrs. Baturina's recent appointment as WE-Women for Expo ambassador, a role she shares with distinguished female leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize winners Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams, female business executives and writers. A unique platform for women to discuss nutrition, sustainability and empowerment, the program was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in accordance with Arnoldo and Alberto Mondadori Foundation.

Contacts:
BE OPEN Foundation
Communication & Press Office
Giovanni Sgrignuoli: [email protected], mobile: +49-1578-4933401 / +39-328-9686390