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Italian Trade Agency returned to Downtown Design on November 6-9 2024 with some of the country’s finest creations in furniture, dwelling space accessories, hand-painted wallcoverings, mosaics, lightings, and many more.
The pieces showcased by Italian exhibitors are true representations of the Italian narrative as a purveyor of culture and design innovation.
Italy’s participation at Downtown Design is realised by the Italian Trade Agency, in cooperation with the Embassy of Italy in the UAE, the Consulate General in Dubai, Confartigianato Imprese and CNA.
An annual platform for the local creative community, the UAE Designer Exhibition showcases emerging creative talent and budding designers in a curated feature situated within the Downtown Design fair, with the aim of enhancing visibility for young UAE designers, expanding their networks and providing commercial opportunity.
For its fifth edition, the UAE Designer Exhibition, curated by Omar Al Gurg, presented a compelling showcase of over 30 emerging talents that redefined the concepts of comfort and functionality. The chosen theme for the showcase explored form, ergonomics, and multifunctionality, offering thoughtful solutions that enhanced living spaces and elevated the user's experience.
Each product served not only a practical purpose but also introduced an emotional dimension, whether through innovative design, playful forms, or the conscious use of materials. The exhibition aimed to foster dialogue—not just between the individual works, but also among the designers themselves.
Moving beyond industrial production, he creates luminous installations that blend art and design. Since his debut in 1997 with an installation for Romeo Gigli, his work has been featured in galleries, museums, and prestigious venues worldwide since 2009 he has collaborated with Edra, producing many unique pieces and collections.
Since 1997, Foggini has handcrafted unique pieces without molds, following a Renaissance-inspired process in his Milan workshop. One of his most iconic works, the Sneeze chandelier, will be showcased at Downtown Design and it exemplifies his mastery of polycarbonate. Foggini elevates this material beyond traditional glass, using it to achieve fluid volumes and sophisticated transparencies that glass cannot match. His approach merges artistic transformation with sustainability, preserving polycarbonate through craftsmanship. By embracing innovations in polymer research and recycling, Foggini continuously evolves his designs, ensuring each piece reflects both technical mastery and environmental consciousness.
Also on display at Downtown Design is Monolite, an innovative collaboration with Dott. Gallina. This architectural and design element was ideated, engineered, and handcrafted in Italy using polycarbonate.
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