BE OPEN The Garden of Wonders

The Garden of Wonders. A Journey Through Scents.  

Orto Botanico, Milan
via Fratelli Gabba 10 / via Brera 28
within "Energy for Creativity"
13 April -24 May 2015

BE OPEN, the international foundation which operates in the field of design and creativity, has chosen the Botanical Garden of Brera as the amazing background of a sophisticated interdisciplinary project whose central theme is perfume.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150413/739299 )

The research is presented on the occasion of EXPO 2015 in May, with a special preview during the Milan Design Week in April, due to the aesthetic and philosophical features this product embodies.

Ferruccio Laviani is the 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 present their interpretation of defunct luxury  brands.

BE OPEN decided to explore the world of fragrances by especially focusing on some historic brands which have disappeared, international excellences whose fame has decreased over the years because of a sometimes-too-aggressive global market. The foundation identified 8 lost brands which must be rebranded in order to protect the experiences at the basis of production and to prompt a global virtuous circle between the producers of raw materials and perfume brands.

Yelena Baturina, BE OPEN Founder, explains: "Those like me who have always dealt with business believe that the relationship between creativity and enterprise is always a stimulating, groundbreaking subject. The chance given by EXPO 2015 and Fuorisalone to see the world in a single city is definitely unmissable. We created "Made in..." in order to examine the relationship between design and quality small-to-medium enterprises carefully, considering all experiences and to offer a different way of looking at the global market and suggesting solutions for the future."

The general organization and set-up of the exhibition is entrusted to  Ferruccio Laviani, who created a diffused museum where all parts of the project communicate with each other and with the Garden area.

The production of the eight brands, in contrast, is assigned to several designers who reinterpreted their history and features according to their sensitivity in the section The Houses of Wonders: they acted as Art Directors for the brands in order to show that design can become a strong point for small entities requiring a new commercial life to meet the challenges of the contemporary global market.

Tord Boontje worked on the Czech brand Waldes et Spol,  Fernando and Humberto Campana on Biette from France, Italian brand Bertelli has been reinterpreted by Dimore Studio whereas Swedish trio Front focused on the French brand Guyla; Spanish  Jaime Hayon worked on the British brand Boissard, Lissoni Associati gave its interpretation to the American perfume house Lundborg,  Jean-Marie Massaud on Bertif and finally Nendo has been dealing with Russian brand R.Koehler & Co.

Each one of the installations has inspired Gérald Ghislain, 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 disappeared.

In order to highlight these academic aspects, experts in the field have been involved in the curatorship of ahistoric/anthropological part called A Journey Through Scents introducing visitors to the most general aspects of the subject.

Finally, a special pavilion hosts 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 include Werner Aisslinger, Analogia Project, Philippe Bestenheider, GamFratesi, LucidiPevere, Karim Mekhtigian, Mist-o, Ludovica e Roberto Palomba, Thukral&Tagra and Victor Vasilev.

Contact: BE OPEN Foundation, Communication & Press office, Giovanni Sgrignuoli, [email protected], mob. +49-1578-4933401 / +39-328-9686390, http://www.beopenfuture.com