The Declaration of war to industry
1998-2013. 15 years of independent production
1998
Foundation AtelierFORTE
On 13 March 1998 Duilio Forte founds AtelierFORTE in Via Corelli, Milan.
2001
300000 – Handicraft Design
Duilio Forte and Stephen Reboli organize 300000 – Handicraft Design, a handmade exhibition of objects and furniture.
“The exhibition aims to promote the activities of planning and construction inside increasing world of DIY design. The number of designers who self-realize their projects is growing. They want to distinguish their works from those ones proposed by the industrial and institutional design framework. They want to bring a greater level of innovation. “April 2001
2002
300000 – Handicraft Design
Animal House. Make a home for your favorite animal.
“The work of the designers must be relevant to the theme of the show and must be hand-made or made with the help of craftsmen.”
2003-2006
Desart I, Desart II, Desart III, Desart IV
For four years Duilio Forte and Stephen Reboli organize Desart, an exhibition of artistic design.
“Invites are for those designers who are concerned to create unusual objects. The exhibition aims to promote behaviors that are closest to the art and the most away from the problems of mass production. The exhibition takes all the techniques and technologies considering exclusively the result of their application.” April 2003
2007
Huginn & Muninn
Exhibition of installations, sculptures, design. The new series “Armi Bianche” has been presented. Steel sculptures inspired by the products made by elves in Norse mythology.
2008
StugaProjectFuoriSalone
AtelierFORTE organizes a workshop of architecture. The building of the sauna Sleipnir Bastu is the final result.
2009
Manifesto ArkiZoic
On 12 February 2009 Duilio Forte writes the ArkiZoic Manifesto, a summary of design rules inspired by natural evolution.
2010
The Declaration of war to industry
During Fuorisalone, AtelierFORTE launches its Declaration of war to industry. Sleipnir Armatus and Sleipnir Trebuchet, a 13-meter high wooden trebuchet, have been built in the garden of the studio and at Triennale Bovisa.
“The industry for years has been decorated with artistic merit that it doesn’t own. The industrial design is killing the artistic design and serial production freezes the evolution of art. AtelierFORTE, according to the principles of the Manifesto ArkiZoic, accept the surrender of industry by the following conditions:
1) LIBERATION OF TERRITORIES OF ART
2) WAIVER OF ARTISTIC DISGUISES
3) EMANCIPATION OF DESIGNER FROM SLAVERY” April 2010
2011
The Declaration of war to industry – The advance of Mammut
The new weapon used in the war against industry is Mammuthus Belli, a wooden and steel mammoth, 10 meters high, built during the workshop Design Royale.
“In 2010 AtelierFORTE declared war to industry, to re-establish the primacy of art, beauty and life. Since then, every activity was one step closer to the winning of the war.” April 2011
2012
The Declaration of war to industry – The Flight of the Crows
The Crows HugMun invade Milan. They are sculpture-furniture inspired by the crows of Odin.
“In 2010 AtelierFORTE has declared war to industry. “The industry for years has been decorated with artistic merit that it doesn’t own. It produces waste and no surplus value, objects covered with junk marketing. In 2012 AtelierFORTE launches the Crows, some other ArkiZoic forms involved in its war against industry.” April 2012
2013
The Declaration of war industry – …
Duilio Forte enters the Steering Committee of Milano Makers.
AtelierFORTE endorses the words of Alessandro Mendini in the presentation of the exhibition Bla Bla. Virtual discussion between the makers.
“The work of the designer-maker consists in the radicalization of three hypotheses:
One: that the object is usable and contemplative in equal parts.
Two: that the object is understood as a distinct unit within a specific techno-aesthetic galaxy.
Three: that this phenomenology aims in its entirety to arrive at the utopian objective of a socially perfect piece of work.” January 2013