Stimuleringsfonds

Salone del Mobile 2024, one of the largest international fairs for furniture and product design, took place this year from 16 to 21 April. Executive director Syb Groeneveld, Talent Development coordinator Sharvin Ramjan, and Design grant officer Joannette van der Veer visited the supported presentations in Milan on behalf of the Fund.

2 May 2024

For the fair week, the Creative Industries Fund NL issued two open calls in late 2023 for distinctive Dutch presentations at the Salone del Mobile 2024. Eleven presentations by professional makers, designers and design agencies from the Dutch design field were selected in the regular open call.

In addition, the Fund enabled 10 Dutch starting makers, designers and architects to present their work internationally for the first time in a group exhibition at cultural centre BASE Milano. The programme provided space for projects that focused on issues of spatial justice, togetherness and solidarity. With the Open Call BASE at Salone del Mobile 2024, the Fund offered for the first time a springboard to individual makers who have never before presented work internationally. By doing so, the Fund increases the international visibility of emerging Dutch designers. In addition, the open call aims to exchange knowledge and experiences and to build sustainable international relationships.

The following is a report in pictures of the Milan fair week.

From left to right: Giulia Cugnasca (creative director BASE Milano), Francien van Westrenen (head of Agency Nieuwe Instituut), Ellen Zoete (programme manager International projects), Stefano Musilli (cultural officer Dutch Consulate-General Milan), Linda di Pietro (artistic director BASE Milano), Dewi van de Weerd (ambassador for Internationale Culturele Samenwerking), Sharvin Ramjan (Creative Industries Fund NL) and Joannette van der Veer (Creative Industries Fund NL).

base milano

At cultural centre BASE Milano, a crossover location where art, business, technology and social innovation come together, the We Will Design programme offered space to projects focusing on issues of spatial justice, togetherness and solidarity. The 10 selected projects in the group exhibition also touched on these themes. In this way, the supported makers had the opportunity to act together and contextualize and present their projects with the emphasis on the content at a major international event.

During a week, the broadcasting platform Elevator Radio presented their eponymous Elevator Radio, a mobile radio station with interviews, round-table discussions and music, including on the roof of BASE Milano. Sharvin Ramjan, Talent Development coordinator, and Dewi van de Weerd, ambassador for Internationale Culturele Samenwerking, were interviewed about the future of starting Dutch designers at international events and the importance of representation.

On Wednesday morning, four starting makers, who showed work in BASE’s group exhibition, presented their practice in a public and informal setting. Designer Anas Chao let people sample dumplings as part of his project An Inquiry Into Dutch Dumplings. And designer Gijs Schalkx presented his Plastic Car, which is not made of plastic, and told more about his year and his experiences resulting from receiving the Talent Development grant in 2023.

alcova
Travelling platform Alcova, for independent design, descends on abandoned locations and could be found this year in two villas in the north of Milan. Here, the presentation ELVIS - POST - HELICOPTER - OPEN ATELIERS featured colourful installations by designers Elvis Wesley, Simone Post and Adrianus Kundert.