Over 100 000 visitors were treated to an outstanding display of South African design, sponsored by Nando’s, at the recent Milan Design Week, held from 9-14 April 2019. The international food franchise supported a collective of six local designers who exhibited their work at Ventura Future Base in the Tortona District as part of a striking installation entitled Sacrosanct. The exhibition was curated by Thabisa Mjo of Mash T Design Studio, with mentorship from Tracy Lee Lynch, Creative Director of the Nando’s Design Programme.
Ventura Future is a platform for bright young stars from across the globe, offering the best of contemporary design from a mix of international academies, designers, brands and labels. Mash T was invited to exhibit as part of Venture Futura by its organiser and curator Magriet Vollenberg of Organisation in Design.
“It was a big success,” Vollenberg says. “We sold over 26 000 multi-entrance tickets and over 90 000 individual tickets to Ventura Future” during the fair. Sacrosanct was viewed by an impressive guest list including international media, interior designers who travelled to Milan for the annual fair, and visiting dignitaries such as the South African Consul-General in Milan, Italy, Ms TSD Nxumalo. The latter came to see the stand because she had heard that it was beautiful and was so proud of the participating South African designers that she had to see it for herself. Lynch states: “This visit was an example of design doing exactly what it should, connecting people and offering positive solutions.” Slightly further afield, the South African Embassy in Berlin shared the news of Sacrosanct on its social media channels on 8 April 2019.
Overall, the response from the flood of visitors was overwhelmingly positive. “We had people literally crying because they were so moved,” explains Mjo. “One lady even knelt in front of the server inside the installation and expressed just how emotional she felt being in the space. It went very well. We were moved by how moved people were. We managed to start a conversation about South African design and introduce people to what is happening on the design scene here. We're excited to see what other opportunities will open up because of this installation.”
Sacrosanct featured designer lighting and the aforementioned server from Mjo’s own studio together with mirrors by Modern Gestures; carpets by The Ninevites;Mpho Vackier’s Afro-contempo Oromo chair upholstered with fabric by pattern designer Bonolo Chepape of Lula’s Clan; and a collection of four ceramic vases by Laurie Wiid van Heerden of Wiid Design. A limited-edition tote bag was gifted to select guests and showcased Agrippa Mncedisi Hlophe’s awardwinning pattern design. Agrippa is the winner of the Nando’s Hot Young Designer 2018 pattern competition.
Yet Milan is just the beginning, with the Nando’s Design Programme aiming to exhibit collaboratively and supportively with South African designers at other international design fairs in the foreseeable future.
this is body copy
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Maecenas laoreet ultricies aliquam. Donec cursus lacus ligula, ut aliquam augue scelerisque sed. Sed id nisl ultrices orci sollicitudin lacinia vitae quis velit. Quisque non condimentum nulla. Aliquam tincidunt urna ipsum, et iaculis justo semper quis. Nunc felis metus, scelerisque ac ante sit amet, finibus condimentum libero. Aenean dignissim nec neque consequat fermentum. Curabitur interdum sed ante et lacinia.
Donec volutpat turpis nec posuere fringilla. Curabitur orci felis, fermentum vel tellus nec, dignissim varius arcu. Sed et egestas sapien. Nulla ac sapien vulputate, elementum justo et, tincidunt leo. Donec ante nisl, feugiat nec felis ut, rutrum blandit lacus. Integer pulvinar nibh varius, blandit felis luctus, gravida magna. Integer nibh magna, pharetra eu lacus non, vehicula molestie arcu.
Mauris non magna quis ex ultricies condimentum. Nulla tincidunt eu velit non feugiat. Mauris ut gravida risus. Donec magna nibh, congue sit amet dictum non, fermentum vitae augue. Donec porta mi magna, eget aliquet purus molestie ut. Nulla facilisi. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Sed efficitur sed neque et eleifend. Aenean a felis auctor, varius massa id, sodales nisi. Mauris blandit, tellus et suscipit pellentesque, purus mauris tempor nulla, vel dapibus elit justo eu mauris. Integer ac purus congue, vestibulum ligula vel, vestibulum purus. Suspendisse aliquam tortor leo, sit amet gravida metus egestas eget. Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in faucibus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia Curae; Quisque fermentum lacinia ornare. Praesent fermentum ante vel eleifend sodales. Ut tincidunt ut nulla at commodo.
