Andrea Branzi's 'Archetipi' at Antonia Jannone Gallery, Milan

Andrea Branzi (Florence, 1938) presents 'Archetipi' at Galleria Antonia Jannone in Milan, his preferred venue for research works. The exhibition features ten new sculptures made from DAS, wood, and wire mesh, alongside works on paper, exploring archetypal forms of building. Branzi identifies primal shapes—from simple monoliths to pear-like forms and enclosures—that precede organized architectural thought. These absolute forms, enclosed in wire-mesh parallelepipeds, serve as theoretical models for all human creative activities. Branzi describes the show as 'a reflection on architecture before architecture,' recognizing building as an essential human trait approached anthropologically. A polymath, Branzi is an architect, designer, three-time Compasso d'Oro winner, design historian, professor at Politecnico di Milano, and co-founder of the avant-garde group Archizoom. He has exhibited at Antonia Jannone in recent years, confirming a fruitful partnership. The display, designed by Antonia Jannone, playfully emphasizes the sculptures' primitive nature by placing them on packing crates, as if just unpacked without mediation. Branzi states that civil architecture faces a credibility crisis, and reflecting on primary archetypes is crucial because they are not a past inheritance but 'a repertoire to invent.'