Salone del Mobile Launches Common Archive to Counter AI with Design History
At the 2026 Salone del Mobile, Maria Porro, the event's president, emphasized the importance of critically examining generative AI within design. She introduced the Common Archive initiative, granting public access to 19 institutional archives, featuring contributions from renowned institutions like the Achille Castiglioni foundations and CASVA. Noteworthy items included documentation of the iconic 1967 Blow chair by Zanotta, which inspired IKEA's 2026 Easy chair. The Triennale displayed works by Massimo and Lella Vignelli, while B&B Italia presented vintage ads. However, Kartell faced backlash for its AI-generated art, criticized for not crediting original artists, underscoring Porro’s belief that archives must remain vital and educational.
Key facts
- Salone del Mobile president Maria Porro stressed critical engagement with AI during opening remarks.
- Common Archive opened 19 institutional archives to the public for free on the Friday night of the fair.
- Participating venues included foundations for Achille Castiglioni and CASVA.
- CASVA is based in a Piero Bottoni building originally designed for the 1947 Milan Triennale.
- CASVA charted development of pieces by De Pas, D'Urbino and Lomazzi, including Zanotta's 1967 Blow inflatable armchair.
- Mikael Axelsson's 2026 Easy chair for IKEA was launched at Fuorisalone.
- Triennale exhibited Massimo and Lella Vignelli's work, including Heller packaging and a 1972 Knoll pamphlet mock-up.
- B&B Italia displayed oversized magazine ads from its 60-year history with full credits and original negatives.
- Kartell's Salone exhibition featured AI-generated expressionist canvases without artist credits.
- Porro stated: 'Archives have to be alive, and have to be a source of knowledge for the new generation.'
Entities
Artists
- Maria Porro
- Achille Castiglioni
- Piero Bottoni
- De Pas
- D'Urbino
- Lomazzi
- Mikael Axelsson
- Massimo Vignelli
- Lella Vignelli
Institutions
- Salone del Mobile
- Common Archive
- Centre for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts (CASVA)
- Milan Triennale
- Triennale
- Zanotta
- IKEA
- B&B Italia
- Kartell
- Azure Magazine
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Via Durini
- Fuorisalone