ICONE: Voices of Italian Design exhibition unveiled at M7

The “ICONE: Voices of Design Made in Italy” exhibition opened at Msheireb’s M7 yesterday, offering an immersive experience into the world of design through the use of cutting-edge technologies.
Curated by Rossana Orlandi, a leading figure on the international creative scene, Compasso d’Oro 2022 winner, and ambassador for “good design”; and designed by Lucio Micheletti, the exhibition is a collaborative endeavour promoted by the Embassy of Italy in Doha and hosted by Qatar Museums. It will be on view until December 20.
Divided into two distinct parts, the first section animates objects, turning them into narrative actors, while the second section pays homage to the companies behind the iconic Made in Italy designs, weaving their stories into video compilations overseen by Francesca Molteni.
In his speech, Italian Ambassador Paolo Toschi underlined the significance of the exhibit, lauding Orlandi as an embodiment of Italian design prowess and her dedication to sustainability, particularly her pioneering work with plastics.
“You will have an opportunity to preview something that is truly an experience. Rosanna embodies what design means for Italy. She comes from the industry, in particular, the fabric industry where she spent time developing skills, understanding business, fashion and at some point in her life she had an epiphany and became one of the icons and a key player in the world of Italian design. And you know how much design means to us not just in terms of creativity but as a factor for growth and a factor for opportunity.”
The envoy stressed the uniqueness of M7 as a hub of creation, beauty, and dialogue. He credited Qatar Museums chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani for her key role in making the event a reality and commended M7 Director Maha Ghanem al-Sulaiti for her steadfast leadership at M7.
In her address, Rosanna Orlandi expressed her admiration for Qatar and her joy at returning to Doha, saying: “I love Qatar... I love Doha, every time I come back, I'm so happy, thanks to Sheikha Mayassa, thanks to the ambassador who invited me to do this presentation, thanks to everybody who helped us”.
“What we want to do is really to give emotion around the design, we want to present not only design, as the ambassador said, but the voice of the designer,” she said, noting her personal involvement in reaching out to designers, resulting in a heartwarming collaboration.
She also cited the key role of Micheletti – the architect, designer, and artist – who brought to life (what she envisioned) and presented the pieces in a unique way.
“I chose the pieces and he realised what was in my mind, how to present in a different way with emotion because I think that emotion in design is very important,” she said.
Al-Sulaiti underscored M7’s dedication to supporting local talent while also championing global design excellence. She thanked the ambassador and his wife for their staunch support of M7 and lauded Orlandi for her ongoing commitment to Qatar Museums.
She cited the institution’s extensive track record of exhibitions, focusing on Italian design and including numerous ventures in fashion. The spotlight shifts to furniture design at the show, promising a showcase of exceptional creations.
Al-Sulaiti expressed optimism for future collaborations with the Italian embassy, noting the shared objectives in promoting cultural exchange.
“We share very common goals in supporting cultural exchange and I also want to thank Rosanna Orlandi, this is her second exhibition at M7. She's a great friend of Qatar Museums, and also for her support during the Milan Design Week in supporting Qatari designers,” she said.
In his speech, Micheletti stressed the emotional connection forged through the exhibit and expressed hopes that visitors would appreciate this distinctive approach.
“This exhibition is very interesting because it is a dialogue directly from the artists themselves” he stressed.
Micheletti envisioned darkness as the optimal backdrop for showcasing the furnishings, seamlessly blending a museum ambiance with a theatrical stage to create an ideal focus and ambiance environment.