Specially created for the notte bianca event which took place in Florence on April 30, the Tape Florence is a surprising work of art. Entirely made of technological materials, this futuristic sculpture, which looks like a huge transparent cocoon, is the brainchild of Numen/For use, a group of young artists (i.e. Sven Jonke, Christoph Katzler and Nikola Radeljkovic) who work between Vienna and Zagreb; the installation made up of layers of transparent adhesive tape is on view at the beautiful palazzo Strozzi which, with its Renaissance architecture, seems to underscore the distinctive characteristics of the sculpture. But the big news is that this time visitors can take off their shoes, step inside the installation and become an integral part of it. The enclosed video shows the artists at work.

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For the second edition of NavigaMi, a boat show which every year takes place in the heart of Milan, the city ‘s “grand canal” was turned into a big harbor; with more than 50 boats on display, it was really lovely to stroll down the Naviglio and pretend that it was the sea. So if you did not have the chance to visit the show last week (60 boat builders were present at the event), don’t miss the next edition, it will take your breath away.

Continue reading: NavigaMi boat show, Milan

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With her Mona Lisa mosaic made of burnt toast, English artist Laura Hadland aroused the interest and curiosity of the inhabitants of Matera, an old town in southern Italy famous for its beautiful cave-houses. Ms. Hadland -best known for another similar work which she created as a birthday present for her mother in law- made this rather bizarre replica of Mona lisa, one of Leonardo’s most famous paintings (it took him a bit over 10 years) last Easter; all the 1,o80 pieces of toast used here come from the Consorzio di Tutela del pane di Matera (IGP). By the way, if want to view the video showing the artist adding her final touches to her work click here.

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The “Ceramica Raku” shop is another of Rome’s boutique stores that exclusively sells ceramic clocks. The shop has been part of the Montesi family business which was established in 1985 and which sells these Italian ceramic clocks locally and internationally.

The shop is located halfway between the Pantheon and the Piazza di Pietra. The name comes from a special firing technique for the ceramic and all the pieces are handmade. They say: “We make everything by hand exclusively by Italian crafstmen. The only exception is the mechanical pieces which are German.”

The Raku ceramic is characteristic for its shine which comes from the firing process. The brightness can be seen in this gallery of the clocks, where we can also see some the different pieces. Many of the clocks are dedicated to Rome’s icons (the family is proud of its Roman heritage), and some are more metaphoric with old Latin sayings. Prices are reasonable, ranging from 25 to 130 euros. The store is on Via dei Pastini and you can also visit the Raku website for more information.

Shopping in Rome: Raku ceramic clocks

Photos | Sara Regimenti

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The hunt for the remains of Lisa Gherardini, the woman who, according to many art historians, sat for Leonardo da Vinci’s famous Mona Lisa ,will start at the former convent of Sant’Orsola in Florence on May 9. The men from the National Historical and Cultural Preservation Committee will explore the crypt, the cloister and the church in the hope of finding the remains of the noblewoman; but there are doubts about the success of the whole operation; even if they should come across the remains of Mrs Gherardini (actually the skull is what they are really after) will they ever be able to restore a woman’s face and once and for all establish whether it is depicted in the portrait of Leonardo? Maybe yes, in fact according to an important document found in the archives of the Church of San Lorenzo in 2007, Fancesco Del Giocondo‘s wife Lisa Gherardini was really buried at the convent of Sant’Orsola.

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Cultural and women’s design association Leartigiane.it recently opened their new shop in Rome, near Torre Argentina, where you can find furniture, interior decorations, jewellery and handmade clothes on display. The association is design to support women’s craftmanship and the shop is a showcase for paintings and accessories, too, being a small corner of art and design on the Rome shopping scene.

The association was established in 1999 and now the Leartiginae.it shop provides a space for weekly “exhibitions” where the members change the works on sale. Sometimes running to a particular theme, the shop recently had a focus on pets and was selling the service of pet portaits done at owners’ homes.

Other creations, including examples like cachemire fabric sold for made-to-measure pullovers, can also be purchased online and the name of the shop as a website is designed to promote the online component of the association. Bruna Pietropaoli of the organisation says:

Shopping in Rome: Leartigiane.it

Continue reading: Shopping in Rome: women's design shop Leartigiane.it

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Milan Design Week features a Mimmo Paladino exhibition at the Palazzo Reale and in the Piazza Duomo. The “Salt Mountain” monumental piece from Paladino is in front of the building, near the Duomo, and is part of an exhibition open until July 10. It is part of many scenes you can see on the streets of Milan, including the Moka coffee maker to celebrate 150 years of Italian unification, a Banana Republic piece of orange chairs called “Not do Fragile” and an Arcimboldo head by Philip Haas. See our gallery of Milan Design Week street art.

Continue reading: Milan Design Week: Mimmo Paladino at the Duomo and Milan street scenes

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A couple of days ago king Giorgio played the host in his exclusive Armani Casa boutique in Milan; the store was full of whispering women dressed to the nines and with a glass of white wine in their hands; there were lots of ahs and ohs as they walked among the furniture on show. The theme was “Country and town houses”; at first everything looked austere, almost monastic in style, after all we all Know Giorgio Armani love of minimalism, but at a clooser look one would discover a different world, where a detail -say on a vase, table lamp or cutlery set- would give out an unexpected, friendly warmth. Giorgio Armani was right once again: true luxury is about understatement.

Milan’s Fuorisalone 2011: the timeless style of Armani Casa

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Organised by Itama and MoMa Italia (its exclusive distributor here in Italy), the Itama Open Days event opened at Molo De Angelis in Porto San Ercole a few days ago; its open yachts, famous throughout the world for their elegance, refinement and that sporty touch which set them apart from the rest, will be on parade until April 17; the chief attraction of the event will be the famous models Forty, Fifty, Sixty and Seventy Five which are the four yachts more representative of the Itama style in the world, which is quintessentially Italian. This time, thanks to a collaboration with Sa.Mo.Car S.p.A, visitors will have the unique opportunity to get a closer look at a few Ferrara and Maserati models including the California and GranCabrio.

Italian design: Itama Open Days in Porto Ercole

Continue reading: Italian design: Itama Open Days in Porto Ercole

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Milan’s amazing trade fair, the Salone del Mobile, has started, marking a busy time in the city with international visitors from the world of design. There is a fair dash of fashion thrown in too, with some Milan shops participating in the “Fuorisalone” - or the occasional instalments that make part of the exhibition outside the Milan Fiera halls.

In these pics we can see the Milan Pucci boutique displaying a work by Felice Limosani called Mirror Thinking. The shop windows feature a play on mirrors and geometric shapes, and Limosani on his site explains his work by saying:

I create stories to inspire and stimulate the imagination of a brand, of an area or place. A mix between design thinking, artistic metaphors and contemporary communication.

Limosani has collaborated with other retail outlets and brands including Coin and Tod’s, and this is a good opportunity to do some shopping in Milan and check out a part of the Salone del Mobile while you’re there.

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