OBJECTS TO BE FOND OF  Interview with Renato De Fusco (University di Naples) Through the historian's eye a look at the small enterprises that during the years have succeeded thanks to winning strategies. The history of design is all based on firms which were small in the beginning. The small firm is the root of design experience. Besides there is the private character of this subject which – in contrast with architecture that must or should always pass the examination of the Public Administration – takes place in contact with the purchaser, usually a person, often of humble origin, who understands the need to ask for the help of an artist-technician expert in the creation of objects. The small firm has always been considered a winning model. Today, facing the new challenges of the global market, this model seems to be going through a difficult moment. Which possible scenarios and opportunities do you see for small firms? I don't have particular experience concerning the matter of production and selling, but I think that the biggest problem lies in the large distribution. I'll tell you a personal experience. Recently I've published a very important book – four years work – with an editor that doesn't have a good distribution. Later I've done another one which has taken me a shorter time; I gave it to an editor with better issuing chances, and this product is selling well. So large distribution is a really central problem. Another obstacle for small firms is represented by the fact that a definitely successful way for design is the disposable object. A few days ago I saw on TV that they are even thinking of a mobile phone with this characteristic. Trying to foresee in a realistic way, this is the tendency which is going to succeed and small firms can hardly be included in this view. On the other hand, this tendency has to be contrasted because if we don't develop the affection for the object, we will create a society which won't leave any historical trace. This is the worst risk of disposable typology, of which I obviously recognise also the advantages. I am afraid this is the winning tendency and we should do something, for example contrast it with a more "elite" production that encourages and boosts conservation. A few years ago, with Filippo Alison, you predicted the tendency of artidesign as a productive pattern with peculiar ways of planning – the drawing is as important as it is in the industrial design but during the working phases it is possible to change something –, of production – artificial materials are used but there is a limited spread purchased through technologically simple machines –, of selling and using – not out of order, as it happens for handwork, but respecting the balance between supply and demand and creating a relationship with the group, which is the intermediate element between the individual and the mass. Do you think the artidesign project is still valid? I think so. I absolutely believe in the need to take a step backward: the utopia of the object distributed to everyone at a low price is still an utopia. Unfortunately, a great part of design only at an elite level. For this reason it is more worth to get back this value of art rather than widespread artistic sense that was more linked to the first hypothesis based on an exceptional quantification. Therefore, I think artidesign can still occupy a very important place and moreover it is more concerned with the chances of a small firm because, since it works on limited circulation, it gives fewer problems for distribution and storing. On the other hand, figurative arts are left to themselves; even militant critics themselves confess they aren't able to understand them anymore. On the other hand, architecture is linked to the Vitruvius triad that protects it from the absurd crazes which are fashionable today. A more general question which, however, also entails the typical contents of this magazine: in a scenario where the design of the "North" seems to be winning not only on a linguistic level-think of the great success of the minimalism-, what part can southern regions and countries play, considering also their different production world? This idea of "Mediterranean reality" doesn't convince so much. In the South we have other problems, more important than design. I also believe it is necessary to discover a stylistic unity again because style is a sign of the individual but, at the same time, also a sign of the Kunstwollen of a period which has its roots in society and economy. Concerning pluralism, it is definitely a positive fact – who can deny it? – but it often develops not as in a concert with many voices but in the triumph of noise, so that even notorious politicians are trying to reduce the number of parties. Therefore I'm ferociously against regionalism. Think of what happened on the political level: developed regions have taken advantage from it, but the regions where development has been slower are even more are in an even worse state. I agree with the unitary state: everything has to be done in Rome or in another capital of Italy; then there are regional derivations which, in my opinion, should have a very little part in taking decisions. The idea of town-planning established by the regions seems a contradiction to me. What's the advantage? Having institutions next door in a world where everyone travels a lot, both physically and virtually? Concerning the hint to minimalism, I appreciate it a lot, especially in design, but also in architecture. Containers considered as place-less architecture, that can be placed anywhere, are part of this tendency. On the other hand, only through the line of minimalism it is possible to work at the building industrialisation, a dream never fulfilled. The claim of the necessity of a stylistic unity seems to be a limit for the small firm... We usually think of handicraft as a world strongly linked to the territory. Yes, but this handicraft linked to the territory has strong relations with civic, provincial, and regional administration and this is often limiting. Instead we should go on insisting on small firms linked to a national whole because otherwise we'll end up in the folklore. Sabattini Argenteria Via Don Giuseppe Capiaghi, 2 - 22070 Bregnano - Como - Italy Tel. +39 031 771019 Fax +39 031 773386 www.sabattiniargenteria.it

Text by: Giuseppe Lotti I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. in cooperation with: Elena Granchi Sonia Morini TOP