Marchesi and KKDC channel Virginia Woolf for Milan Design week exhibition
Lisa Marchesi and KKDC bring their Nekkida floor lamp to Milan Design Week with an art installation that provokes introspection and a rethinking of our relationship with the spaces we inhabit.
Milan Design Week is not just a showcase of furniture and accessories; it’s a celebration of innovation, and creativity… designs without confines! Every year, designers from around the world converge on this global event to present their most awe-inspiring creations. This year is no exception. In fact, a special exhibition promises to challenge perceptions from an exclusively female stance.
The Fabbrica del Vapore will host a gem of a show: the ‘Up To’ exhibition. Curated by DcomeDesign, an association dedicated to promoting and disseminating female creativity, this exhibition poses a provocative question: ‘Up to which point can you push it?’ It’s a question that resonates deeply with the ethos of Milan Design Week, where designers constantly strive to break new ground.
Among the 24 female artists featured in the exhibition is Lisa Marchesi, a Milanese lighting designer, whose studio is renowned for its ability to sculpt light and evoke emotions. Marchesi has illuminated spaces for Louis Vuitton, Berluti, Armani, Gianvito Rossi and many more revered clients. For the ‘Up To’ exhibition, Marchesi’s studio has teamed up with KKDC. KKDC is a manufacturer known for designing and producing high-end LED lighting solutions for architectural markets worldwide, with a research and development center based in Seoul, South Korea, focused on implementing cutting-edge electronic and engineering solutions.
A Luminaire of One’s Own.
Together, Marchesi and KKDC are crafting an immersive installation inspired by Virginia Woolf’s ‘A Room of One’s Own’ – the famed and incredibly important book that explores the importance of economic independence and physical space for women writers to create and express themselves freely. Entitled ‘A Luminaire of One’s Own‘, this installation invites visitors to carve out their space, exploring the intersection of light, sound, scent, and touch. Picture a room adorned with nothing more than an armchair, a painting, a luminaire and an iPad – yet within this minimalist space lies a world of sensory delights waiting to be unlocked. The iPad puts the power in the hands of the visitor, allowing them to customize their sensory experience with the swipe of a finger.
Through the iPad visitors are invited to manipulate light, sound, and scent to create their own personalized ambiance. Whether it’s the warm glow of a sunset or the soothing notes of a favorite song, the possibilities are endless. By embracing an holistic approach to design, Marchesi and KKDC invite us to rethink our relationship with the spaces we inhabit.
All this through Nekkida.
At the heart of the installation is a new, highly unique multisensory floor lamp – named Nekkida – designed by Lisa Marchesi, built by KKDC, and brought to life by Casambi. Nekkida is Korean for “feeling” or “sensation” tied in with the sentiment of encouraging action and responsibility. It’s a word that embodies the spirit of the exhibition’s theme.
“This lamp is characterized by a direct diffused dynamic white light from 1900K to 5000K, an indirect diffused dynamic white light from 1900K to 5000K and RGBW. On the vertical element, it is possible to have up to two spotlights with medium optics and fixed color temperature, selectable at 2700K/3000K/3500K, offering a more focused light, very useful for example, for illuminating an object on a table, on the floor or an image on the wall. And thanks to patented technology by KKDC and the “nano louvre” filter applied to the direct light, the lamp offers very high comfort, reducing glare” says Michelle Li, Director KKDC Italy, adding:
“Thanks to the solutions provided by CASAMBI, it was possible to integrate controllers within the lamp, allowing users to control all these functions, manage them independently and create their own space, comfort and environment autonomously.”
Endowed with Casambi control, Nekkida’s illuminance can be manipulated. Change the color temperature, the dimming levels, the color and direction of the light. The installation’s iPad has the Casambi app installed, through which our Gallery function is active. With this Gallery feature, you can take a picture of your room, add luminaires to the picture and control your lighting in the most delightfully intuitive way. In your way.
“With the light, intended as multifunctional, we aim to stimulate the sense of sight, tuning in on your moods: For instance, indirect dynamic white or colored light to stimulate cozy and active moments, direct diffused or accent dynamic white light to highlight specific details, like the artwork on the wall. All these options are tunable through Casambi technology, allowing everyone to create their own atmosphere, their “safe place”” Michelle Li adds.
Also included within the lamp’s design are a fragrance diffuser via rechargeable USB, speakers for sound diffusion, and a USB port to charge devices. With this combination, Nekkida aims to transcend traditional lighting by simultaneously stimulating multiple senses, offering customizable lighting options, a choice of fragrances to diffuse, audio options to manage, and tactile elements in one product.
In a world where individuality is prized above all else, ‘A Luminaire of One’s Own’ serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of self-expression and authenticity. As you interact with the installation, surrounded by the gentle hum of your chosen music and the soft glow of customized light, you can’t help but feel a sense of empowerment. In this moment, the boundaries between art and life blur, and the possibilities are truly limitless. On that note, this product is not just for MDW exhibition purposes. You can purchase the Nekkida to create a room of your very own. We highly recommend you check it out: 16-18 April, Fabbrica del Vapore, Via Giulio Cesare Procaccini 4, 20154 Milan.
