More Art Nouveau in the 21st Century

Written by: Giovanni Gridelli

April's design week in Milano was something amazing. It was my first Salone del Mobile and I must say that I was very intrigued by this type of event, which was so well organized and structured. During this week, I visited several places where they exhibited different pieces of very interesting and inspirational products and interiors. The thing that struck me most was the Salone del Mobile in Rho Fiera. At Rho Fiera, I visited and carefully looked at the products exhibited and placed in a certain space giving rise to a real salon.

The fair was so big that I could not visit it all, after all, I only had one afternoon to enjoy myself there. The pavilion that caught my attention the most, also linked to what we studied in our Design History and Culture class, was the pavilion inherent to the Classic style. I noticed that inside this huge pavilion the different structured salons and the different products inside them followed and took inspiration from the Art Nouveau that was present in the early 20th century.

Art Nouveau, or literally "new Art," is an artistic and philosophical movement that developed between the late 1800s and early 1900s. This movement constituted a genuine attempt to reform of life, proposing a return to nature and adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Art Nouveau took inspiration from nature where artists contemplated formal perfection, elusive nature, dynamic and vital strength.

As we can see I wanted to analyze an atrium designed by Boiserie Italia. The style applied is a style in my opinion that certainly takes inspiration from the movement of the art Nouveau of the 19th century. Why Art Nouveau? Art Nouveau probably because the pattern of the wall made inside this room clearly depicts an environment composed of vegetation understood as plants and flowers.

In my opinion it consists of a revisitation of the style of the Art Nouveau applied on a somewhat more modern scenario. This type of setting gives me feelings of tranquility because it reminds me a lot of “the Forest”. The Forest is a setting surrounded by vegetation where silence prevails inside. So in this atrium I see it very welcoming and it put me very well at ease.

As I said before, explaining a bit the main values of this movement, from the cultural point of view consists precisely in proposing a return to nature (plants and flowers) and adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Healthy probably also because in my opinion plants are a source of oxygen, perfumes, (this is only my interpretation).

In fact, to involve this concept to the mallet a vase of Flowers has been applied over the central table, which gives o a very attractive scent just to give the goddess of nature. Art Nouveau could and can be applied in different scenarios. From colored exteriors, to custom furniture inspired by nature.