A NIGHT OF EXCELLENCE IN ITALIAN DESIGN
It was a pleasure to witness two giants of Italian Design come together in an evening of true delight. Two of the greatest Italian marvels, one from the ancient and one from the modern world of craftsmanship, Stradivari and Ferrari, were paired by an incredible live music performance of the world-renowned violinist David Park.
As I was approaching the evening with some sense of excitement and curiosity I was also wondering what valuable lessons I could learn from these two masters of design - my question for the evening.
As I went through the event, I experienced a variety of feelings. An atmosphere filled with a warm sense of welcoming in the friendly chatting with Ferrari’s family members and guests, the exciting environment with bright lights, the sense of exposure due to transparency and reflectance of the windows, the crafty elegance and sophistication of powerful lines of Ferrari cars, the comfort and reassurance in quality food.
All of it, surpassed only while experien
cing live, only few feet away, the performance of Paganini’s piece Cantabile with the incredible sound of a 300-years-old Stradivari. Visually captivating, with the simplicity and precision of its curves, and almost undertone wood crafty opaque look, it was capable of transporting me into a world of awe and wonder.
I guess, at the end, as I left the event, the answer to my question could have been that these masters were both able to transcend the concept of normal, pushing their limits of craft towards perfection. However, I think the true lesson I took home is the experience these incredible crafts are capable to deliver, and the appreciation that comes out in us. Immersing myself into a world of delight and inspiration, through an incredible work of yes, art (and Italian art more specifically), gives me inspiration for my work. It was a good feeling, a good lesson. The only thing that was missing was pairing the experience of the Stradivari with the experience of driving one of the Ferraris there; the white one I would have picked. However, as a trick often used in Design, we need to leave with still some appetite, maintaining a tension that is now in us and that will seek for resolution in a future moment. Next time then, I hope.