The Outlook on applied art in the furniture field has been grounded with the idea to be the expression of a material culture able to strengthen the bond between historical memory and contemporary proposals.
The Outlook can in this way define by means of “exemplarily moments” the different expressions of the project in relation to the evolution in the living habits; objects, installations, pieces “with significance” able to help us explore and define the stages of our society.
The Outlook is founded with the awareness that visitors can relate to the pieces as an “attentive observers” of the progress and transformations of the domestic and collective spaces.
Attentive observers also because the major part of society has frequented (and used) “environmental models” and the “objects” offered.
Thus the Outlook will be able to exemplify the relation between objects and society in a direct way by means of some formal furniture types and categories in a representation of the cultural and social role of artisan production (ideas of the designer and capacity of the craftsman to collect these ideas) in relation to the evolution of the different social classes.
The activities of the Outlook are for this reason aimed at the promotion of “furniture” through:
- conservation (permanent collection);
- promotion (events, temporary exhibitions, seminars, didactic workshops, thematic publications
- study of and research on materials (tests in laboratories, technical tests, production tests, tests on wood);
- archive (historical documentation, census in the territory, publications
Conservation
This collection expresses high artisan value and contains pieces in which the link with tradition is evident.
In this way the collected pieces which refer to the furniture tradition are divided in three categories; “Re-editions”, “Quotations” and” Allusions”
These three categories clearly exemplify :
- The production of classical objects, faithful reproductions defined “Re-editions”
- The production of objects that refer to original projects filtered by “interpretations or “quotations” modified in relation to new cultural, productive and utility needs
- The creation of objects which refer to classical models, looking at the past as a great reservoir of knowledge to stimulate new ideas with “allusions” using the memory as one of the major sources for design
Material Research
One of the particular deficiencies of the area is the lack of research centers and laboratories able to issue certificates regarding European standards. For this reason the research centers will be created able to supply these services as well as assistance and knowledge in relation to different materials, their ecological qualities and different techniques used.
Archive
The archive offers the possibility by means of a specific website to consult a sort of “extended museum“ all over the territory formed by companies, workshops, artisans, designers, institutions, history, tradition, routes.
Promotion
The Outlook has a program which contains informational and promotional activities which comprise exhibitions of design pieces (by famous designers), of collections of pieces developed around a theme, the organization of educational workshops to enhance the cultural growth of operators in the furniture sector and seminars with the aim to enhance the role of applied art in the Verona furniture district.
The program also regards the relation with other production areas and promotional activities such as periodical publications about a theme. The project the “significant” furniture –a piece of furniture as vehicle of values and significance- is the main project promoted by the Foundation and its Outlook