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On the death of Enzo Maris: design for the masses, but not mass-produced goods

2020-10-20T16:24:50.856Z


Enzo Mari was one of the most influential Italian designers. His objects were supposed to be useful, not just decorative - the form was more important to him than profit. That's why he called for them to be copied.


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Enzo Mari 1974 with models of his furniture for the self-assembly catalog "Autoprogettazione".

In that year the designer published blueprints for a complete facility: chair, table, bed, shelf, bench.

His free book comprised a total of 19 pieces of furniture, each easy to recreate.

All it needed was boards, nails, a desire to do it yourself - and money for the return postage.

With his project, Mari wanted to outsmart capitalism and the design industry (much to the displeasure of some colleagues).

But it was also about teaching people how to design things.

A process that is better understood if you lend a hand, he saw it.

The democratization of design was more important to him than profit.

Photo: 

Mondadori Portfolio / Getty Images

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The design is by Enzo Mari.

The wood for the chair is from a shipwreck that once brought refugees to Lampedusa;

the manual work was done by people who traveled with such boats.

In the "Cucula - Refugees Company for Crafts and Design" project in Berlin-Kreuzberg, furniture is created according to the "Autoprogettazione" plans.

Photo: Felix Zahn / picture alliance / dpa

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The Delfina chair, which is covered with canvas, is one of the most famous Mari designs.

But the Italian was never interested in fame or money.

Good design, that was important to him.

For Mari this meant: no frills basic shapes and long durability.

Mari was convinced that a product should last 100 years, but 1000 would be better.

Photo: Kunstpalast / ARTOTHEK

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In principle, it can be used forever and thus completely in the spirit of the creator: Timor table calendar from 1967. The date can be set using rotating digits, day and month tables.

Photo: South China Morning Post / Getty Images

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The Piedmontese has designed around 2000 objects in the course of his life.

This also includes the Bambù vase series for Danese Milano.

Photo: South China Morning Post / Getty Images

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The installation "Structure number 708" is also part of the work of the Italian.

Seen here on the cover of the architecture magazine "Casabella".

Photo: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty Images

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Enzo Mari was born in 1932 in the village of Cerano in the northern Italian province of Novara in Piedmont.

In his early twenties he went to Milan to the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, where he studied art and literature.

From this he carved out a career as a product designer, artist, writer and design lecturer.

Mari was mainly inspired by the British Arts and Crafts movement, he was particularly interested in the social aspects of his work.

"Why have I become a good designer over the years? Because I was an artist," he once said.

Together with visionaries such as Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini and Achille Castiglioni, he helped Milan gain its image as the "capital of design".

Enzo Mari died on Monday in Milan as a result of Covid-19.

His wife Lea Vergine, with whom he was married for almost 60 years, only survived him for a day.

She was also infected with the corona virus.

Photo: dpa picture alliance / © Effigie / Leemage / picture alliance / Effigie / Leema

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Source: spiegel

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