APCOM

"Innovation, experimentation, provocation." Are these the works of a designer? On the eve of the 47th edition of the Salone del Mobile of Milan, two great designers, Alessandro Mendini and Fabio Novembre, tried answering these and other questions on the universe of design. They see themselves protagonists of the first of three meetings, organized by the Fondazione Corriere della Sera based in Sala Buzzati on via Balzan.

Milanese Mendini, born in 1931, played a key role in the development of Italian design. He is considered one of the fathers of the Italian postmodernism (or as he prefers "neomodernism"), and in the course of his career he has always launched provocative projects, whose purpose was to move the often sleepy mood of the sector.

Fabio Novembre, belongs to a whole different generation. Just 40 years old, from Lecce, in little more than 10 years he has managed to insert himself in the international panorama, as one of the youngest authors capable of expressing liberty, and being spokesman of an architecture which is strong and explicit. Because of the differing backgrounds of the two authors, their ideas are also very different. On the meaning of "innovation," however, they seem to agree. "It would be obvious to say that any job should be based on new concepts" said Mendini. "I believe that it is interesting to project oneself ahead and at the same time look at the past". To emphasize the concept, Novembre quoted the mathematician, Isaac Newton. "I see far because I am on a giant's shoulders". Obviously it is important to learn from our teachers to project the future.

On the issue of tradition, however, the two don't always agree. Mendini's choice was unexpected, "My reference point are painters, not architects and not designers". "Without Kandinsky or De Chirico, without Futurism, I would not have found material", he says.

Novembre instead looks at his own childhood: "Lately I looked into my past and discovered that I have been influenced from my early life experiences. I developed my creativity making Nativity scenes. I was the creative one in the house, more than my three brothers, I took care of it".

Mendini mentioned criticism about one of the Expo 2015 projectors. "I admire Isozaki, but I don't like Libeskind's skyscraper, because I find motivation is lacking".

Novembre also believes in the civic role of the projector. "I haven't produced much, because I prefer quality and meaning to quantity. Who like me follows beauty, also follows ethics". What is their role with the commissioners? "I believe that the commissioner is the father, while the projector is the mother. The first one is concerned about sales, the second one has his own work in mind. Undoubtedly in recent years the relationship between the two has cooled. In the past they were closer. Novembre chooses another comparison. "I am the soccer player, the president of the team is the commissioner, he who wants to see the results. They have a business relationship.

A question on what period is design going through can not be left out. "All periods are interesting, each one works differently" says Novembre, "I always try to test myself, challenge myself. I try to interpret my life as if it were a piece of art. "I feel privileged. My motto is: I don't know. I don't even know how to answer these questions."