Called La Cura, and contained within one large room at Milan's National Museum of Science and Technology, designer Faye Toogood’s “hospital for the senses” was dark and mysterious. Under a single, diffuse ceiling light, the all-white installation on a circular platform featured a tree-like sculpture at its centre and wooden chairs along its periphery.
Whilst experiencing a therapeutic sound and light composition produced in collaboration with Kite & Laslett, visitors are presented with a ball of white clay to mould and shape into something that reflects their own individual expression and mood. These artworks – called ‘The Cures’ – are collected at the end of each performance and clustered together in the ‘Pavilion’ during the course of the week to create a collective sculpture.
For ‘la cura’, the Underkitchen by food designers Arabeschi di Latte have prepared a re-energising elixir designed to restore people’s sparkle and spirit. The air is filled with a bespoke scent by perfumers 12.29, which is designed to capture the essence of the colour white in olfactory form.
Photography Alessandro Maria Nacar.
La Cura was presented as part of Tom Dixon’s sprawling MOST exhibition, which included displays by hundreds of designers scattered throughout the museum. Some were not much more than a single piece of furniture. Others, like Toogood’s, were elaborate and ambitious.
The cures.
Visitors are presented with a ball of white clay to mould and shape into something that reflects their own individual expression and mood. These artworks – called ‘The Cures’ – are collected at the end of each performance and clustered together in the ‘Pavilion’ during the course of the week to create a collective sculpture.
The Caretakers.
During the installation, ‘Caretakers’, dressed in outfits designed by Faye Toogood, attend to, maintain and safeguard ‘The Cures’.
Spade Chairs.
Guests will be seated on 40 ‘Spade Chairs’ by Faye Toogood, each one protected using dressings made from felt, tyvek, canvas, sheepskin, feathers, latex, gauze and bandages.
