curated by Beppe Finessi

opening: Wednesday April 22 2009, 8.00 pm
exhibition: from April 22 until May 2 2009
opening hours: everyday from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm
venue: Careof and Viafarini, Fabbrica del Vapore, via Procaccini 4, Milan

On the occasion of the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2009, Careof and Viafarini are glad to present at Fabbrica del Vapore, curated by Beppe Finessi, the first retrospective exhibition of the work of Paolo Ulian, one of the most significant designers of our time, heir of the old masters of Italian design (such as Bruno Munari, Achille Castiglioni, Angelo Mangiarotti, Vico Magistretti, Enzo Mari). Thanks to his talented consistency, Paolo Ulian represents nowadays an inspirational figure for the youngest generation of contemporary designers.
Ulian’s oeuvre covers a period of twenty years, and it’s rich of relevant collaborations (including brands such as Driade, Progetti, Bieffeplast, Zani&Zani, Fontana Arte, Seccose, Coop and BBB emmebonacina). Ulian’s works have been exhibited in many cutting edge spaces devoted to visual research and experimentation (from Opos to SaloneSatellite, from Droog Design to Galleria Luisa Delle Piane).

Paolo Ulian: a pure and free behavior, far from market-oriented logics, constantly centered upon some delicate recurring themes, or rather unique affective landscapes traced with a continuous, spontaneous and natural commitment.  Some examples:
_To derive innovative product typologies from the direct observation of everyday behavior: ”If you are not curious, please change job” that was the motto of the great juggler of design, Achille Castiglioni. To note well how people live, how they move, behave and perform that gesture for that specific purpose: that is an intelligent and effective way to design brand new products which respond to brand new functions. For instance a simple bathroom tile, decorated with string motif, similar to the one of a lined excersise book, becomes a “polite” invitation to perform undercover writings (“Pagina”, Opos, 2001) or a bathmat with integrated slippers, designed to move yourself after a shower, like if you were “skating” (“Mat-walk”, Droog Design, 2004) or again a “wearable” biscuit, ready to be put on a finger and dipped inside a Nutella pot (“Finger biscuit”, Ferrero, 2004-2006).
_To consider the recycling and recovering process from wasted materials as an ethical duty, almost a moral principle; to look at reality with a clever and inventive approach, finding new, unexpected functions, giving new life to discarded materials: so that marble elements become lamps (“Parabolica”, 1992), fruit vessels (“Portafrutta”, 1992) and kitchen utensils, e.g. a chopping board (“Bat-tagliere”, Galleria Luisa Delle Piane, 1999); bottles become a hallstand (“Dune”, Opposite, 1998) rather than screen’s constructive modules (“Accadueò”, 1996).
_To challenge the tradition which gave birth to strictly monofunctional objects, achieving the goal to delineate new, multilayered presences characterized by multiple souls e multiple functions (for example a multipurpose double-bladed kitchen knife, “Pane e salame”, Zani & Zani, 1999; a holder and coat stand “Bowl”, Fontana Arte, 2003; a wash basin with a small basket built-in, “Tandem”, Azzurra Ceramica, 2008).
_To research on both productive and constructive innovations, deriving them from an almost engineeristic knowledge, softened by an hand-crafted approach. This mixed mood made possible some genious and comprehensible constructions (a wall mounted coat holder, composed by holed modules of marine plywood, inserted on a aluminium track, “Flex”, Opos, 1995, a table lamp whose lampshade is constituted by an elastic bathing cap, wich underpins the entire simple metal structure, “Palombella”, 2000, a screen that is constituted by two thin, compressed  plywood layers, vertically bended in order to let the structure be self-bearing, “Up”, BBB emmebonacina, 2001).
_To pay attention to object’s sculptural value, to guarantee our everyday objects the “right to beauty” besides their essential functionality. In Ulian’s oeuvre this expressiveness derives from a rare sensibility (“Paravento in cartone ondulato”, a corrugated cardboard screen which is one of Ulian’s earliest relevant works, 1990; “Porta Uovo” an egg-cup derived from a reinforcing rod, 2000; and the collection of vases “Cardboard vase”, 2009).
_To add an healthy dose of humour in most of his projects, halfway between provocation and smiling mockery (a chocolate meter, “Golosimetro”, Eurochocolate, 2002-2009; a bottle wrap constituted by a daily journal page chosen for its political message, “La folle guerra di Bush” – for “Messagge on the bottle” exhibition, 2007; a pair of beach slippers which impress on the sand the sentence “who loves me follow me”, “Print”, Sensi & C, 2001).

A straightforward body of work: perceptibly original, ever-recognizable, often  surprising, especially in its solutions, distinguishable from any previous or coetaneous episodes.
Paolo Ulian is one of the few Italian designer of his generation which talent shines, proudly and serenely,  close to the one of Morrison, Grcic, Bouroullec, Newson, Campana, designers that we all recognize and appreciate. (Beppe Finessi 2009)


Paolo Ulian (Massa 1961). Graduated at Accademia di Belle Arti of Carrara where he attended painting lessons held by relevant artists Getulio Alviani and Luciano Fabro, he then attended Isia Institute in Florence, where he graduated in Industrial Design in 1990. In the very same year he started to work with Enzo Mari in Milan. Ulian collaborated with him until 1992, and then started up his own business with his brother Giuseppe. Ulian exhibited in several shows in Italy and abroad, and won internationally relevant prizes such as Design for Europe Award, Design Report Award and Dedalus prize. He collaborated with Driade, Bieffeplast, Fontana Arte, Luminara,  Zani & Zani, BBB emmebonacina, Sensi&C., Droog Design, Coop, Azzurra Ceramica, Skitsch.

Beppe Finessi (Ferrara, 1966). Architect and teaching fellow at Politecnico di Milano, where he holds courses in Interior Design, Design and Contemporary Arts and Exhibition Techniques, he is also a design critic (from 1996 until 2007 he collaborated with Abitare magazine as design editor) and a researcher (he keeps to learn from Art, trying to “see the rainbow in profile” and not to forget the importance to “lighten”). Since several years his critical research deals with the oeuvre of the great tradition of Italian designers (Bruno Munari, Vico Magistretti, Angelo Mangiarotti, Alessandro Mendini) as well as with the poetics of some of the most cutting edge protagonists of the contemporary international scene, such as Fabio Novembre and Martí Guixé.


Press Kit and hi-res pictures available on:
www.altofragile.it/press.html
www.careof.org/press.html
www.viafarini.org/italiano/press.html