A doorway of books, in reality an arch made from fabric-covered elements: through this installation, Nicolò Castellini Baldissera invites us to step up to the loggia and beyond appearances.

Nicolò Castellini Baldissera

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”, reads the subtitle of the installation, whose title plays on the similarity between the words ‘fabric’ and ‘fabricating’. Indeed, the designer entrusts fabric with a message to society, which often attributes too much importance to appearances at the expense of substance.

He presents us with an arch made from a selection of nameless books whose covers, in the colours of the latest collection by the historic textile company C&C Milano, express an important principle: objects hand-crafted from high-quality, durable materials, just like this company’s fabrics, can be handed down and given new life.

The installation consists of an iron structure which supports the individual decorative elements made from wood and covered with Trevira CS Eco flame-resistant fabrics and outdoor/fire retardant polypropylene products. Passing beneath the arch, visitors can see the coloured covers of the books as a whole and the details of the hand-painted pages inside.

The composition is completed by a few seats made from piles of books, positioned on the steps beyond the doorway. “Let us remember to pay attention to the cover and the contents, to regenerate substance and appearance and to open our minds and be renewed, generating the energy to open up new perspectives and promote dialogue”; this is the message Nicolò Castellini Baldissera wishes to convey.