PHILIA is pleased to present Future Relics, an ambitious research program and exhibition taking place at the 16th-century Palazzo Corsini al Prato, in the heart of Florence. Rooted in extensive research, the show brings together a group of internationally renowned designers who were invited to create works inspired by the rich, cultural heritage of Medici Florence. In collaboration with researchers and academics specialized in the Medici archives, the selected designers have delved into the vast archival holdings of Renaissance Florence to explore the concept of a ‘future relic’. The relics of Medici Florence, ranging from precious objects in the Treasury of San Lorenzo to exotic treasures from global connections, serve as touchstones for this exploration. Examining the local craftsmanship and diverse techniques of the time, the project challenges artists to draw inspiration from the past while creating contemporary works that resonate both locally and globally, symbolically and conceptually.
The five selected designers – Elsa Foulon, Kar, Laura Pasquino, Morghen Studio, and Pierre de Valck – questioned how we can envision ‘relics of the future’ in a secular contemporary world.
Kar from China has conceived a conceptual chair, inspired by the throne of Cosimo de Medici. Incorporating hand-kneaded clay modelling, fiberglass shaping, the chair features four Chinese jade stones at the four corners of its base, alluding to the four classical elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire, found both in the Renaissance iconography and Chinese philosophy (which also includes metal as a fifth element).
Amsterdam-based ceramicist Laura Pasquino will unveil a series of sculptural pieces directly influenced by the Medici porcelain formula, found in archives detailing Francesco I de Medici’s 1560s ceramic workshop which aimed to imitate Chinese porcelain. Meanwhile, Italian design duo Morghen Studio will exhibit a modern interpretation of a free-standing column – a fundamental element adopted by the Florentine Renaissance from Classical antiquity. The installation envisions a “box” containing traces reminiscent of Ghiberti’s “Porta del Paradiso,” Michelangelo’s “Pietà” (both finished and unfinished), and “Tondo Doni,” -reflecting the Medici passion for hardstone mosaics.
Pierre de Valck took inspiration from a Medici chest he discovered at the Palazzo Pitti to create a wedding casket in patinated bronze with a lock in meteorite rock. The work references the gifts exchanged at significant social occasions during the Medici period, and how these objects strengthened social ties and cross-cultural alliances of the time. Finally, French ceramicist Elsa Foulon will present ‘Relic of the Future,’ a sculptural lacquered cabinet made with wood and ceramic doors inlaid with pyrite nuggets inspired by Italian Renaissance reliquaries. The piece explores the concept of a relic and contemporary perspectives on what we choose to protect today.
