The Spirit of Experimentation and Open Living on the Island of Elba
In the late 1970s, architect and artist Gianni Bettina embarked on an unconventional personal project on the Italian island of Elba. This project, which he later called “My Home in Elba” (La Mia Casa all’Elba), was not just an attempt to build a permanent residence; it was a living experiment in understanding the relationship between humans and place.
A Slow and Complex Formation
The house did not follow a traditional construction path; instead, it gradually formed over the years, with wings, paths, and walls growing and changing. The design alone was not what defined the house; the surrounding nature also played a key role in shaping this entity. The house can be described as an open-ended project, one that evolves over time and interacts with its local environment and its ever-changing inhabitants.
From Personal Inspiration to Contemporary Embodiment
This unique experience inspired Joseph Grima and Valentina Ciuffi in their new exhibition titled “The Theatre of Things.” The exhibition, currently hosted at the Delvis (Un)limited Gallery in Milan, aims to translate the spirit of “My Home in Elba” into a contemporary space that blends design, live art, and personal experience.
A Living Experience, Not Just an Exhibition
The goal of the exhibition is not merely to present collectible designs but to offer an alternative model of living with design, where artworks become part of everyday life, not just elements for display. This concept, which combines function, beauty, and interaction, raises questions about the boundaries of design as an art form and reconsiders the meaning of “home” as a place that embraces creativity and experimentation.
Living as an Art Performance: A Daily Experience Inside an Exhibition Space
At the heart of the “Theatre of Things” exhibition, the idea of “living with design” materializes in the most intimate and direct ways. In the middle of the space, a bed upholstered and surrounded by a chandelier made from loofah fibers, designed by the Belgian group Espace Aygo, was placed. This setup was not just part of the decor, but a central element in a unique experience.
Design to Live, Not Just to Display
From April 7 to 12, 2025, a small storefront in the Brera district of Milan transformed into a temporary home furnished with selected works by seven contemporary designers. The exhibition was not traditional; it was an invitation to dive into a living experience, where each day one of the designers stayed overnight inside the exhibition, visible to the audience through large street-facing windows.
In the morning, a journalist, curator, or critic would join them to begin a day of informal morning discussions about the experience, design, and the relationship between art and life.
Design Space as an Open Stage
This unusual form of interaction between the designer, the artwork, and the audience reflects Grima and Ciuffi’s vision, which transcends the boundaries of traditional exhibition. Instead of observing from a distance, visitors (and even passersby) are invited to be part of the story – as viewers, participants, or as observers of a moment of intimacy unfolding in public.
Designers and Pieces: Diversity in Style, Unity in Purpose
The exhibition featured works from a diverse group of designers, including:
• Objects of Common Interest
• Lindy Freya Tangheilder
• Espace Aygo
• Rich Ibar
• Lourdes Galie
• Stefania Ruggiero
• Niki Danai
Each contributed a piece that reflected their idea of “living with design,” whether through furniture, lighting, or decorative elements.
Design Details: Between Serenity and Flow
On the morning of the Wallpaper team’s visit, the duo Eleni Petaloti and Leonidas Trampoukis (from the Objects of Common Interest studio) were seated on the bed, sipping coffee and talking about a quiet night that passed without intrusion. They discussed the importance of living among objects that tell a story, about memories, about identity.
The other pieces were equally poetic. Chairs, lamps, and rubber bowls designed by Rich Ibar added a tactile softness to the space, while a wooden shelf designed by Lourdes Galie displayed art books and DVDs of Sex and the City, referencing the connection between daily life and visual culture.
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Objects with Symbolic Weight: Between Rubber, Wood, and Chrome
Among the standout pieces on display was the “Slug” chair, designed by Rich Ibar, crafted entirely from molded rubber. It stands as an organic form, gently resting its weight on the ground. Next to it was a cherry wood shelf, designed by Lourdes Galie, adorned with delicate chrome details that add a modern touch without disturbing the warmth of the natural material.
Each piece here was not merely an object; it was an expression of vision, identity, and a tangible feeling that one could live with.
What Makes Something Homely?
This was one of the core questions raised by the exhibition, according to its official text. The Theatre of Things explored the place of collectible design and how it can simultaneously be an artistic effort and a subject for societal discussion, asking:
“What is the true meaning of the idea of home?”
Is a home merely walls and furniture, or is it also dialogue, interaction, and living presence?
A Voice from Within: Valentina Ciuffi Talks About the Experience
To get closer to the background of this idea, Wallpaper conducted an interview with curator Valentina Ciuffi, who shared her perspective on the nature of the experience within this unconventional project.
A Space for Reflection Amidst the Noise
Wallpaper: Amidst the rush of design week and the exhibitions of big names, Theatre of Things seemed like a quiet space for contemplation and intimate interaction. Was this intentional?
Valentina Ciuffi: “I’m usually in a constant state of running during design week – between events, meetings, and all that must be seen. But this year, Theatre of Things gave me a special morning rhythm that I couldn’t resist.”
Ciuffi described how the exhibition became a personal daily moment for her. She initially planned to attend just one session, but found herself returning repeatedly, starting her day there before diving into the frantic pace of the other events.
What Wasn’t Planned… But Happened
For Ciuffi, this quiet emotional effect wasn’t a precisely planned result but a beautiful side effect of what they hoped would happen. That moment of slowing down, of genuine connection, of truly feeling the place—not just its contents.
Rocky Seats and Tropical Whispers: Design as a Multisensory Story
Among the surprises hosted by Theatre of Things, the studio Objects of Common Interest – based in New York and Athens – presented two striking pieces:
- The “Lithos III” seats, designed to resemble rocks smoothed by the passage of time.
- A bar cabinet named “Holy Mountain,” in a bubblegum pink color, featuring a built-in speaker that broadcasts rainforest sounds from the Amazon live.
It was as if this was a silent invitation to dive into nature amidst an artificial domestic space, or perhaps a reminder that objects – no matter how inert they may seem – can speak through sound and express emotion.
A Multilayered Experience: From Play to Reflection
When asked about the nature of the conversations that took place during the week, Valentina Ciuffi described the dialogue as diverse as the participants themselves: “Some of the conversations were playful, like sessions with friends who’ve known each other for a long time, while others were deeply reflective, especially with the journalists who came with real questions and intellectual curiosity.”
Perhaps the secret to the success of these encounters was that the space itself was not silent, but charged with meaning and intention, making the conversations arise from the pieces themselves, rather than from imposed contexts.
When the Home Becomes a Stage
But what did the exhibition aim to convey through this experience?
According to Ciuffi, the goal was to show how “collectible design” can transform the domestic space into a stage – not just a place to live, but a space where stories are told through objects.
“When you fill your home with pieces that provoke questions, you are actually using furniture as a narrative tool. What we did was present this narrative on a real stage – and made the designers themselves part of the performance.”
And the result?
According to Ciuffi: “The experience succeeded.”
Not just in presenting an art exhibition space, but in testing how the audience interacts with the designer, the piece, and the idea behind it, in a moment where design is lived with all senses, not just looked at, but experienced and told.
The Warmth of Bronze and City Windows: About Place as Part of the Story
In a quiet corner of the exhibition space, the “Layer over Layer” lamp stands tall.
Made by Dutch artist and designer Lindy Freya Tangheider from cast white bronze, it appears as a silent guardian next to her iconic chair “Sculpting Archetypes.”
On the floor, the “Bonfire” rug by artist Stefania Rogiero adds a tactile, intimate texture and a visual warmth that parallels the warmth of emotions.
Here, the pieces are not merely displayed as functional art furniture, but as elements that shape the atmosphere, activate memory, and stimulate the imagination. Each piece claims its role in a multidimensional theatrical scene.
The Breathing Space: Milan as a Participating Element
When Valentina Ciuffi was asked about the impact of the location on the experience of Theatre of Things, she responded thoughtfully: “This space is small, but it is completely open to the city – its windows overlook the beating heart of Milan, almost allowing the city to intervene, breathe, and reflect with us.” This openness, not typically afforded by exhibitions in closed halls, was one of the secrets to the success of the show.
The exhibition did not isolate itself from the rhythm of daily life; rather, it merged with the urban pace, drawing visitors into moments of calm amidst the bustling city.
Not an End, but an Open Beginning for Reflection
But does this experience end with the conclusion of design week? Ciuffi confidently says:
“I won’t repeat this exact experience at Delvis (Un)Limited, as I will be coordinating its program throughout the year – which I am very excited about – but Theatre of Things is not over yet.”
The exhibition will remain open until July, and the invitation to stay overnight in the space overlooking the street will continue, a unique experience Ciuffi herself lived.
In her words, there is a clear hint that time is an active element in the exhibition, and that some experiences cannot be confined to days or weeks but live in ongoing interaction, unplanned visits, and those moments when design becomes a personal experience.
