Image Courtesy of Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro.
SLEEK: FENDI founded its headquarters in the Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro former exhibition venue in Milan. What does that say about FENDI?
Serge Brunschwig: I consider the former Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro exhibition venue in Milan as the perfect space for FENDI. It unites important qualities that are important for us to do shows, set up showrooms or create and coordinate in our office. We absolutely love the unique space: we care and cherish it including its artworks by Pomodoro, for example Il Labirinto (‘The Labyrinth’), a room created by Arnaldo Pomodoro, in the basement.
S: FENDI has collaborated with a number of high profile artists and designers over the years. Now, at their headquarters in Rome, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, FENDI is partnering up with the Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro for the exhibition Il Grande Teatro delle Civiltà. How does Arnaldo Pomodoro’s work resemble FENDI’s and which values do you share?
SB: At some point, things have to make sense from an artistic point of view. First, I had a discussion with Arnaldo himself, talking about the idea of an exhibition in our headquarters at the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana (Esposizione Universale di Roma). Both of us immediately liked the idea. We started contacting curators and came across Lorenzo Respi and Andrea Villani. The idea grew and became a bloody good plan very quickly. We not only share the same values and heritage, the partnership also makes sense on a more pragmatic level.
S: A pragmatic level?
SB: The space at the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana – FENDI’s headquarters in Rome – fits the artworks by Arnaldo Pomodoro. It’s a fantastic dialogue between Rome, this particular building, Arnaldo’s work such as the statues in front of the building. I never thought we would place five pieces of art outside the space. The idea grew over time, so the former pragmatic decision became at some point also an intellectual one. The artist, curators and our team together created something new by merging our building and the artworks.
Images Courtesy of Fondazione Arnaldo Pomodoro.
S: Can you speak about the importance of art in fashion?
SB: They probably have some things in common but there’s a major difference. Artworks are made for eternity rather than creating seasonal objects to sell. We don’t have the same ambition to create objects forever even though it’s an inspiration to us. It’s an absolute. Our similarities lie in the creation itself, maybe even using similar techniques such as mutual inspiration. The purpose is a different one.
S: What’s your personal approach to art?
SB: I love creation, sculpture, paintings and cinema. Art fosters creativity and inspires me in my work. Art is one of the key ingredients for my work and gives me the element of emotion that I need to be creative.
S: Arnaldo Pomodoro reinterpreted the iconic Peekaboo bag created by Silvia Venturini for FENDI in 2008. Who specifically chose this bag and why?
SB: It was as simple as this: we asked him and he said yes. He was inspired by the bag’s shape and the fact that our Peekaboo bag has a history of being reinterpreted by several artists. So, for him to agree to work on the Peekaboo bag, was extraordinary to us.
S: The perfect combination from fashion to art.
SB: A piece of art idea.
As featured in SLEEK 77 – TRUST. Available in print and digital here.