Creatures on display at the Triennale Design Museum

Carnival of the Animals

This month, the Triennale Design Museum in Milan launched ANIMAlità, showcasing never-before-seen, character-driven ceramic works by Sam Baron, Matteo Cibic, Jaime Hayon, Sebastian Herkner, Minale-Maeda, and many others. The exhibition is the continuation of a research project first brought to life over a decade ago by museum director Silvana Annicchiarico (starting with the exhibition series Le Parole e le Cose), exploring the relationships between names and designed objects.

The objects shown in ANIMAlità are delightful creatures loaded with symbolism; every one offers the audience another opportunity to imagine the fantastical stories—and imaginary worlds—behind them.

Describing the creatures he designed for the exhibition, Sam Baron says: "[They] are a fusion of mythology and personal memories, where a bull becomes a Minotaur, the ram is seen as an honored, sacrificed animal used to celebrate gods, [and] the horse becomes a fantastical figure like the unicorn. . . this unique but universal association of animals unites religions, legends, [and] even astrology."

Ariete, Unicorn, and Toro by Sam Baron © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Ariete, Unicorn, and Toro by Sam Baron © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

Tolo, Pilo, and Calo by Matteo Cibic © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Tolo, Pilo, and Calo by Matteo Cibic © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

Calo by Matteo Cibic © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Calo by Matteo Cibic © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

We also love Matteo Cibic's story of the zoomorphic Garden of Eden, where race and dimension have no boundaries: "Dogs with webbed paws and bright ears, dragons with human feet and two-faced birds…There are no limits to the erotic and reproductive fantasies in the inhabitants of this garden. The art-freak characters who come out of it are the best companions and bear witness to a memorable loving effusion."

Compagno: Bird, Fish, and Beetle by Sebastian Herkner © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Compagno: Bird, Fish, and Beetle by Sebastian Herkner © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

Sebastian Herkner's Compagnos, meanwhile, subtly reference the diversity of nature: “Beetle, Fish, and Bird are the ambassadors for the elements earth, water, and wind. They remind us to live responsibly in our environment and [to respect] its resources and creatures. The three objects sit smoothly in your hand like worry stones."

The exhibition's designs were realized in cooperation with the renowned Italian ceramic company Bosa.

Duck Elefant Multivase by Jaime Hayon © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Duck Elefant Multivase by Jaime Hayon © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

Bec: Sea-Gull, Duck, and Tucan by Ionna Vautrin © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Bec: Sea-Gull, Duck, and Tucan by Ionna Vautrin © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

Loricato by Elena Salmistraro © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack Loricato by Elena Salmistraro © Triennale Design Museum, photo by Tom Vack

More to Love