Milan Design Week 2016: Nike’s The Nature of Motion Exhibition
A provocative exhibition on the human body and the way materials impact us all
An early standout at this year’s Milan Design Week, Nike’s “The Future of Motion” exhibition showcases some eye-popping works from 10 contemporary artists and designers. The display, which crosses multiple media and sensory experiences, tackles many concepts within form and function (how it applies to Nike’s designs and beyond) and even utilizes some of their proprietary materials, like Flyknit. Motion, of course, is the through-line, whether that’s the motion of a drumstick on a Flyknit kit or a collaborative seating study that requires cognitive engagement in order for the user to achieve balance. Altogether, it’s visually stunning but with great technical depths lying behind each piece.
Of the works on hand, British furniture designer Max Lamb’s installation piece appears to employ magic. Lamb levitates large works of weighty material (aluminum and granite, for example) onto thin strips of compressed air. As Lamb shares with CH, “I’m always really interested in nuts and bolts. I’m interested in the facts. I’m interested in the chemistry or the physics. My [installation] is all about physics. That’s all it’s about… This was me going back to school and learning what I should have learned when I was in school.” There is an educational aspect to everything at “The Future of Motion” which requires a more thorough examination of everything presented, yet it doesn’t take away any of the charm or wonder.
“The Future of Motion” is open to the public and will run through Milan Design Week at Via Orobia 15.
Images by Evan Orensten
