Forest Tales

An homage to the virtues of wood, the exhibition Forest Tales featuring furniture made from sustainable hardwood was on show at Triennnale Milano during the 2022 FuoriSalone in June. The furniture pieces were selected from the latest projects supported by the exhibition creators, American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC). An active promoter of American hardwoods in Europe for over 30 years, AHEC is also one of the first organizations to introduce a Life Cycle Assessment model for its products. Designed and curated by Studio Swine, the exhibition design both tells the story of the forest and provides a global platform for furniture pieces from recent AHEC projects that have yet to reach a world audience, having been conceived and produced during the pandemic years. The show is also a heartfelt call for designers and the furniture production sector to take on board issues of climate change and move away from our throwaway mindset.

The appeal to a new way of thinking is embedded in Studio Swine’s concept by re-purposing the packing crates in which the furniture was shipped to Milan. On entering the room, visitors are confronted with a “mountain” of stacked crates. They form the backdrop but also a series of different level exhibition platforms for the pieces of furniture on display. Putting waste reduction into concrete practice, the installation comes as close as possible to carbon neutrality. It is a fine example of great visual impact achieved with minimal means and a minimal environmental footprint. The concept for the installation also references the opening frames of Orson Welles’ iconic movie, Citizen Kane (1941), in which Kane’s belongings are shown amid a vast jumble of wooden crates, to be assessed and packed...

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