Craft Punk: A Series of Design Performances at Spazio Fendi During Salone Del Mobile

For the first time, Design Miami/ is curating an event outside its own territories in a unique partnership with FENDI. Taking place during Salone del Mobile, "Craft Punk" will expand on the Design Performance programme that is a highlight of Design Miami/.

"Craft Punk" will transform the 750m2 Spazio FENDI into an active environment for social interaction, unruly intellectual inquiry and action- based design processes by inviting emerging designers to work within traditional, or hand-made, craft methods. The designers can use discarded materials from the FENDI production process, such as Selleria leather, branded fabrics, plastic decorative elements, and metal hardware. Demonstrating the creation process live and onsite, they will reinvent the way a process or material is typically employed. In a true collaboration between the worlds of design and fashion, the designers will also have the opportunity to draw on the expertise of artisans from FENDI's Selleria line, many of whom have more than 40 years experience working with leather and other signature FENDI materials.

The Design Performances will bring together music, video, live demonstrations, and conversation, in celebration of the importance of originality, creativity and freedom of expression in design. "Craft Punk" will be open to the public from 22 - 24 April from 4.00 to 8.00pm daily.

"'Craft Punk' will comprise an environment in which we have the unique opportunity to see extraordinary design pieces coming to life in front of our eyes," Design Miami/ Director Ambra Medda comments. "With our Design Performances in Miami and Basel, we found that visitors kept returning, absolutely fascinated with the projects' rapid evolution. 'Craft Punk' will also be as much a lively social event as a creative happening, since it will offer an extraordinary opportunity to get together and meet the designers as they go about their work."

"FENDI is a creativity factory that supports talent without boundaries. In these challenging times in which the world is changing rapidly, we wanted to exalt pure creativity by putting attention on traditional materials and low technology techniques. We wanted to rediscover the power and the beauty of 'Fatto a Mano' (Hand-Craft)". FENDI Accesories Creative Director Silvia Venturini Fendi adds, "FENDI strongly believes that creativity and the flow of ideas are the Fuel for the Future. Forever."

'Craft Punk' is a response to new currents in design, fashion and in the world. Today's financial climate calls for a powerful statement in support of young creativity and experimentation, which remains as vital to design production in times of scarcity as it is in times of abundance.

The economic situation has also generated wide support for design with a message, and there is a great pool of young and established designers who incorporate social commentary and artistic narrative into their work.

"Craft is an area of design production that designers often turn to in the early stages of their careers," Design Miami/ Associate Director Wava Carpenter points out. "The materials are relatively simple and the quality of the finished products can be controlled through their own talent and attention to detail. In addition, the hands-on nature of craft-based design allows for the greatest degree of expressiveness and narrative."

The word "Punk" is used, not as an aesthetic signifier but rather a description of attitude and spirit; it suggests fearless defiance in the face of adversity; individuality despite pressure to conform; the drive and inspiration to make something from nothing; finding beauty in things that are imperfect and asserting one's voice despite restricted opportunities.

It is the power of creative thinking over high production values.

"We want people to reapproach the word 'craft' by reclaiming it from the world of folksy quilting and re-engaging with the simple notion of things made by hand," Ambra Medda adds. "'Craft Punk' is about showing a talented designer's brilliant innovation, even when faced with a tiny budget. Real genius doesn't need a huge amount of money to do something great. It's about having a terrific idea and making ends meet to adapt to a situation."

The designers were invited on the basis of their characteristics, but also with the aim of shining a light on emerging talents who could benefit from being given a stage on which to show their creativity at an event that is attended by the industry's powerbrokers.

The designers contributing to 'Craft Punk' include Kwangho Lee, Massimiliano Adami, Nacho Carbonell, Peter Marigold, Raw-Edges, Sarah Becker, Simon Hasan, Studio Glithero, Studio Libertiny, and Yuri Suzuki + Household. A truly international mix of talents, they come from as far afield as Japan, Denmark, Italy, Israel, Slovakia, Spain, the Netherlands, South Korea, Germany and the UK.

Examples of interactions and performances that will take place during 'Craft Punk' include:

- Simon Hasan will boil leather, completely transforming its texture and aesthetic properties;
- Sarah Becker will be reworking FENDI accessories using embroidery and collage techniques;
- Yuri Suzuki & Household will craft a large-scale animatronic machine composed of discarded, everyday objects;
- Kwangho Lee will weave together common objects such as electrical cords and garden hoses in elaborate patterns to create a jungle-like installation;
- Studio Libertiny will re-approach traditional welding techniques, working metal like clay;
- Raw-Edges will borrow folding techniques from fashion production to create paper furniture;
- Studio Glithero will experiment with an obscure, old-fashioned printing technique that will magically transform ceramics and fabrics from plain white into a brilliant blue.

Consistent with the message of this event, 'Craft Punk' is an entirely non- commercial endeavor, and the designers' creations will remain their own.

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