giovanna massoni: underlines memories

Exhibition view &
Enduring Personal Portraits by Agata Karolina Niemkiewicz

Every two years the Belgian city Liege, situated in the valley of the Meuse River close to the Dutch boarder, hosts the Biennale of Design. This years theme was Reciprocity. Wikipedia states that in social psychology the term refers to responding to a positive action with another positive action, rewarding kind actions – an obvious link between design and society. Independent curator and advisor Giovanna Massoni was this year’s artistic director of Reciprocity Design Liege. She also curated one of the main exhibitions called Memorabila – Designing Souvenirs.

Memorabilia was set in the Saint-Antoine church in the Musee de la Vie Wallonie, a former monastery in the centre of Liege. A poetic and historic setting with a baroque facade from middle of the 17th century and an inside with square stone tiles, dark-brown wooden elements and decorated with stucco from middle of the 18th century – it is destined to welcome an exhibition of 60 objects that ask to find the time to value our memories.

Daughters of Israel by Eshel Noaa

Giovanna Massoni asked designer & craftsman Kaspar Hamacher and me to become the scenographers for the exhibition. Impressed by the interior, we wanted to make a scenography that doesn’t dominate what the building already delivers, but accentuate it. Therefore we choose dark grey Mdf that looks similar to the colour of the tiles on the floor. We decided to put each object on it’s own plinth, because each memory needs its own space. Accompanied by an image of inspiration and remembrance, the viewer was able to delve into his and into the memory of others.

Hemding by Fabian Andreas
Available via Thorsten van Elten

There are many more objects and products that were exhibited. This is just a general impression. You can see more at Ana Lisa’s review on Inhabitat and read an interview with Giovanna Massoni on Yooko. Also thanks to Clio Brazkala and Nicolas Delathuy who were always a great help. The exhibition ended on the 28th October 2012.

Lungo by Davy Grosemans

Multiple by Raphael Charles

Revolution vase by Maya Ben David

Un dimanche apres midi by Adelaide Devos

Social Soap by Thomas Pausz

Bioscope by Jon Stam & Simon de Bakker

Giovanna Massoni & Kaspar Hamacher

One of the many signs of Reciprocity that you were able to find in the city

My favourite building, just a 3 min walk away from the church. Not sure what it actually is, but it it has a strong appearance and gets all my attention every time I drive into the city. Now it has many of my memories attached.

Comments are closed.