Italy's Pavilion at London Design Biennale Focuses on Ship Graveyards

The Italian Pavilion at the London Design Biennale, titled 'Unseen Collaborations' and produced by Triennale Milano, shifts focus from the glamour of ocean liners to their final destination: shipbreaking yards in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Taiwan. Curated by Marco Sammicheli and Marilia Pederbelli, the exhibition highlights the hidden labor and environmental costs behind these vessels, once symbols of design synergy. Works include Liu Xiaodong's diptych 'Steel 6' depicting shipbreaking workers, Philippe Tabet's 'Order' masks referencing safety gear and material recycling, and site-specific installations by Melania Toma and Davide Trabucco. The pavilion challenges national representation by featuring a French designer based in Milan, an Italian designer living in London, a Chinese painter, and a digital activist. The biennale, directed by Aric Chen under the theme 'The Global Game: Remapping Collaborations,' runs until June 25, 2023, at Somerset House in London.