Enzo Mari's Design Lesson: The Peasant's Shoes
In a 2013 interview, designer Enzo Mari recounted a parable about a peasant's shoes to define design. When a peasant died, his valuable leather shoes were passed on to a younger family member, while paper shoes were made for the corpse to preserve dignity. Mari explained that design is this process of creating functional, respectful solutions with available resources. The anecdote, recalled by journalist Aldo Premoli on Artribune, encapsulates Mari's philosophy of design as political, environmental, and aesthetic. Mari passed away in 2020.
Key facts
- Enzo Mari gave an interview in 2013 in his Milan home.
- The interview was conducted by Aldo Premoli.
- Mari used a parable about a peasant's shoes to explain design.
- The parable describes making paper shoes for the dead to save leather shoes for the living.
- Mari defined design as creating functional solutions with available materials.
- The anecdote is considered political, environmental, and aesthetic.
- The article was published on Artribune in 2020.
- Mari was a master of design and charismatic.
Entities
Artists
- Enzo Mari
- Aldo Premoli
- Lea Vergine
Institutions
- Artribune
- Salone del Mobile
Locations
- Milan
- Italy