L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano I n the contemporary design philosophy of Elena Manferdini, beauty, and design belong to everyone. This concept has been the cornerstone of the work of t h e I t a l i a n a r c h i t e c t a n d artist, encompassing both her role as a public artist on a n u r b a n s c a l e a n d h e r i n v o l v e m e n t i n c r e a t i n g works of art. It is the latter that takes center stage in the exhibition titled FLORA, currently on display at the Italian Institute of Culture in Westwood, inaugurated on February 8th. T h i s e x h i b i t i o n s t e m s from an idea shared by Elena Manferdini with IIC director, Emanuele Amendola. It b r i n g s t o g e t h e r d e s i g n objects, models, sculptures, and illustrations that reinter- pret the imagery of nature into contemporary design forms. "This new exhibition holds particular significance, not only because it reflects our commitment to contem- porary art and our dedication to promoting Italy's rich tra- dition, but also because it delves into a highly relevant and cross-cutting debate on Artificial Intelligence, and the impact this revolutionary technology is already having in various sectors. It invites us to ponder themes such as the human-machine rela- t i o n s h i p , t h e b o u n d a r y between real and artificial, and authorship in the artis- t i c - c r e a t i v e p r o c e s s , " Emanuele Amendola, direc- tor of the Italian Institute of C u l t u r e i n L o s A n g e l e s , explains. " I n t h e c u r r e n t e r a , marked by temporary digital artifacts and computational i m a g e s , n a t u r e a p p e a r s simultaneously familiar and strangely synthetic. FLORA showcases the dichotomy between natural and artificial representation," says Man- f e r d i n i , w h o h a i l s f r o m Bologna and arrived in Los Angeles at the age of 22, out of love. "While the love story ended, my connection with this city continued to thrive. After earning a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Bologna and a Master's in Architecture and Urban Design from the Uni- v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , L o s Angeles (UCLA), I became the director and owner of Atelier Manferdini and the Chair of Graduate Programs at the Southern California I n s t i t u t e o f A r c h i t e c t u r e (SCI-Arc)." Your work has been shown in various art and architecture museums, i n c l u d i n g t h e V e n i c e Architecture Biennale, MOCA, LACMA, Pacific D e s i g n C e n t e r i n L o s A n g e l e s , B i r m i n g h a m Museum of Art, Design Museum in Holon, and the New Orleans Muse- u m o f A r t . D o e s t h e FLORA exhibition at the Italian Institute of Cul- ture differ from the past, or is there always a com- mon thread in your art? There is a common thread, which is the representation of nature in a synthetic man- ner. My work heavily focuses on the idea of nature as a silent protagonist, and this concept initiated the conver- sation between me and the director of the Italian Insti- tute of Culture. Together, we s e l e c t e d t h e p i e c e s t h a t belong to this visual thread. I also created some specifically for the exhibition to intro- duce something new: this includes Floralia, which con- sists of mirrors featuring images of women's faces, generated with AI, and can be viewed in the gallery of the exhibition, also through augmented reality. Apart from this AI-cre- ated artwork, are there any other avant-garde pieces? T h e r e i s a p a i r o f 3 D - printed shoes, representing the idea that 3D printing can b e u s e d i n e v e r y f i e l d o f design, including fashion. In 2 0 2 3 , A t e l i e r M a n f e r d i n i launched this pair of ready- to-wear shoes, created with the assistance of AI visualiza- tions. The project serves as a prototype and a statement of intent. The shoes are entirely r e c y c l a b l e . W e a l s o h a v e more traditional pieces, like the latest bracelet from Ate- lier Manferdini for Astroath Galleria, the "Nine-Tailed Fox," inspired by the mythi- cal creature from ancient C h i n e s e m y t h o l o g y . T h e Nine-Tailed Fox, known as "Jiuwei Hu" in Chinese, com- bines precious materials and intricate craftsmanship to create a playful jewel that blends art, cultural signifi- c a n c e , a n d t h e b e a u t y o f ancient mythology, making it a distinctive accessory for celebrating special occasions. In addition to being an artist, you also work as a n a r c h i t e c t . D o y o u s o m e h o w b l e n d t h e s e two aspects of your pro- fession? My profession as an archi- tect has always had a strong artistic dimension. I primari- ly work as a public artist, and currently, I'm working on a façade for the City of Hope building, which is a research center that also serves cancer patients. In general, my work is dedicated to collectivity; if possible, I always work on public buildings. Even when it comes to private buildings, there is always a strong con- nection to the community. It's not an easy job, but it's very rewarding because once it's completed, everyone ben- efits from it. Could you tell us more about your work for City of Hope? They are constructing a new building in Duarte, and I'm working with them on creating the façade. In Los Angeles, I also worked on Inverted Landscape, for the LA County, specifically the Zev Yaroslavsky Family Sup- port Center Civic Artwork in Van Nuys. Inverted Land- scape was named one of the top 38 public art projects in the 2015 edition of the Public Art Network (PAN) Year in Review by Americans for the Arts, the leading national nonprofit organization for the advancement of the arts. It's the only national award that specifically recognizes public art projects. This par- ticular center welcomes indi- viduals transitioning out of prison and seeking reintegra- tion into society, but it also deals with mental health, assistance for minors, and families in need. In these c a s e s , t h e q u e s t i o n I a s k myself is: how can architec- ture and design be of assis- tance to these centers that offer such a specific type of service? What answer have you given to this question? I've given myself many answers. Firstly, a significant part of my work is based on the psychology of color. In these places, entire families come together. At times, peo- ple have witnessed traumatic events, like the loss of a par- ent. These are challenging moments in their lives, so my work aims to create an uplift- ing space to bring some joy to everyone there. It's about creating functional spaces that also maintain a certain poetic quality. Additionally, i t ' s n o t j u s t a b o u t c o l o r ; nature plays a crucial role, too. The effects of natural colors are an integral part of my work. O n w h i c h o t h e r façades have you worked in the city of Los Ange- les? I worked on the Mei Mei Lou in Chinatown, Los Ange- les, which I completed in 2018 with Atelier Manferdi- ni. I designed a new colorful and pop façade for an unre- m a r k a b l e b u i l d i n g i n t h e heart of Chinatown, trans- forming it into an unmistak- able landmark in the neigh- borhood. The FLORA exhibition is available for viewing until April 19, 2024, by appoint- ment | desk.iicla@esteri.it or 310-443-3250. Nature in contemporary design by Elena Manferdini SILVIA NITTOLI Inverted Landscapes is part of two public artworks designed by Elena Manferdini for the San Fernando Valley Family Support Center (Photo courtesy of Atelier Manferdini) LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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