The Academy presents NABA TALKS: Dalla parola all’oggetto – dialogo tra lunguaggio, arte e design, a series of four appointments at Triennale Milano (Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6) scheduled for May 8, 14, 15, and 28, 2024, starting at 6 PM. These lectures aim to delve into the intricate relationship between language and design, spanning object, word, and abstract thought, and will explore themes such as expression, creativity, and imagination. The series is curated by Simone Domenico Liscio (NABA Special Programmes Course Leader) and Anthony Marasco (NABA lecturer), with contributions from Germana De Michelis (Bachelor of Arts in Design Course Leader), Elisa Poli (Senior Research Programme Leader), Luca Poncellini (Design and Applied Arts Department Head), and Guido Tattoni (NABA Dean).
Design and Language, new intersections
Designing with words lifts many burdens on designers, not least the necessity of learning to code. Yet, are we certain that language is not a code just as complex? How does the machine react to changes in lexical registers? Does employing poetic language rather than everyday speech lead to different outcomes? What if we were to directly use legal codes to curb the misuse of artificial intelligence? Would we achieve the desired effect? The first of the four NABA TALKS, taking place on May 8, will attempt to address these questions with Michele Aquila (Master of Arts in Creative Media Production Course Leader), Cristina Costantini (Associate Professor of Comparative Private Law at the University of Perugia) in dialogue with Anthony Marasco (NABA lecturer).
“The power of objects" as a learning and relationship settings
The second NABA TALKS lecture on May 14 will begin by analysing tangible experiences and aims to raise a series of questions: what do we learn through objects? What types of relationships do they establish and communicate to those who use them, and what kind of interaction do they facilitate between people and their environment? Through which tools can we, in the roles of anthropologists and designers, identify and thus understand the cultural influences that shape the processes of designing, producing, and creating the spaces and objects we inhabit and use? The guest speaker for this talk will be Roberta Bonetti (lecturer in Applied Anthropology, Anthropology of Education and Anthropology of Material Culture at the University of Bologna).
Fashion "Isms"
The third intervention, scheduled for May 15, will focus on the "isms" that characterise contemporary art and fashion, using their inspirators as examples. We will, therefore, start from Chanel's Minimalism to explore its nuances up to Armani and beyond, then we will investigate Schiaparelli's Citationism, continuing to Gucci, and finally, we will analyse various Expressionisms, from Balenciaga to Rick Owens. The guest at the conference is Fabriano Fabbri (lecturer in Contemporary Styles and Arts and Forms of Contemporary Fashion at the University of Bologna and the author of several essays and monographs, including the double volume “La moda contemporanea”, published by Einaudi in 2019 and 2021).
Domestic reflections: powers, genders, and sexuality in designing spaces
The fourth NABA TALKS session, on May 28, will discuss spaces that define our behaviours and result from structures that intertwine power, language, and bodies. Specifically, homes, their organisation, and the objects they contain are simultaneously the product of a precise gender construction and contribute to its reproduction. For this reason, observing their changes - even in the languages we use to describe them - allows us to read political transformations and envision unforeseen futures. We will discuss this topic with our guest, Carlotta Cossutta (researcher in political philosophy at Università Statale di Milano and part of the research center Politesse - Politics and theories of sexuality at the University of Verona).
NABA TALKS Dalla parola all’oggetto - dialogo tra linguaggio, arte e design: event details
Design and Language, New Intersections
Wednesday, May 8, from 6 PM
At Triennale Milano, Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
With guests Michele Aquila, Cristina Costantini, Anthony Marasco
“The power of objects" as a learning and relationship settings
Tuesday, May 14, from 6 PM
At Triennale Milano, Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
With guest Roberta Bonetti
Fashion "Isms"
Wednesday, May 15, from 6 PM
At Triennale Milano, Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
With guest Fabriano Fabbri
Domestic reflections: powers, genders, and sexuality in designing spaces
Tuesday, May 28, from 6 PM
At Triennale Milano, Viale Emilio Alemagna, 6
With guest Carlotta Cossutta
Entrance with mandatory booking on Triennale Milano's website.