Lorenzo Mason Studio

Focusing on Enzo Mari's book The Function of Esthetic Research (1970), which has become a rare physical artefact, only accessible to few, this record converts his words into an original musical encounter thanks to specialised computer-aided singing technology.  In this way Mari's thinking is brought into public discourse, away from the printed page: ideas are untethered from their original format, unleashed into the world, ready for unsuspecting minds to absorb and make their own. Liberated, open to the public and free of charge, this is your chance to experience Enzo Mari's work like never before.  So let the wisdom of Mari overcome you, let his words wash over you in sound-waves, recast as ecstatic and mindful music. You'll find his ideas will linger long after the music has stopped, perhaps one might even settle, its spark might start a fire.

Enzo Mari (1932-2020) was an Italian designer, graphic designer, illustrator and artist. His works range from design to painting, from graphics to gallery displays. He was both a teacher and a political activist. Today he is considered one of the greatest theorists of design. His works have been featured at the Venice Biennale, the Milan Triennale, the Schloss Charlottenburg in Berlin, the MIC in Faenza, the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome and the MoMA in New York. He was awarded the Golden Compass in 1986, a form of acknowledgement he had already been given in 1967 and 1979, as well as the International Design Center Prize in 1987 in New York. In 2008, the GAM in Turin dedicated a retrospective solo show to his work. Among his more recent writings, we might note: Progetto e passione (2001), La valigia senza manico (2004) and 25 modi per piantare un chiodo (2011).