Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano
The glass panels of the entrance to the Graphic Design Worlds exhibition feature geometric vinyl cut outs by Wallpaper* contributor, Anthony Burrill. As visitors walk through the doors, they are met by an installation by Burrill, created in collaboration with Michael Marriott. Here, Marriott is seen setting it up
(Image credit: Anthony Burrill)

'Graphic design is everything you can see and experience,' says Anthony Burrill. 'I think life is graphic design really.' This may be a big claim for any artistic discipline but it's one that sums up the creative reach explored in Graphic Design Worlds, which looks at both the visual culture that inspires the featured designers and the artistic territories they construct.

The Triennale di Milano has invited over 30 international names - among them Burrill, M/M Paris, KesselsKramer and Fuel - to curate mini exhibitions of their own work within its expansive architecture gallery. Burrill has recreated his studio in pavilion form for the show, while KesselsKramer has constructed a children's play area, surrounded by many of the agency’s works, to illustrate the importance of play in the generation of ideas.

The resulting landscape they present is rich, varied, sometimes a little dark - such as Fuel's sinister figures peering through barbed wire on the cover of 'Drawings from the Gulag' - and often sharpened by a good dose of wit, like KesselsKramer's poster for Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amersterdam, which declares in bold letters: 'Now a bed in every room'.

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

Burrill’s installation comprises an abstract recreation of his own studio in the UK.

(Image credit: Anthony Burrill)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

’The "house" is a made up of re-used material from a large tower that we made for a previous show in London,’ Burrill explains. ’I like the idea of re-using existing work to make a new work.’

(Image credit: Diego de Pol)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

Inside is a selection of objects from his studio, framed prints and a TV showing more of his work

(Image credit: Anthony Burrill)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

The walls are made up of wooden versions of some of his works

(Image credit: press)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

More by Anthony Burrill

(Image credit: Anthony Burrill)

From left: works by De Designpolitie and Anthony Burrill

From left: works by De Designpolitie and Anthony Burrill

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

posters by De Designpolitie

More posters by De Designpolitie

(Image credit: press)

A series of 64 silk screen posters by Norm

A series of 64 silk screen posters by Norm

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Close-up of ’Superficial Manifesto’ by Norm, 2010

Close-up of ’Superficial Manifesto’ 2010

(Image credit: Norm)

’Republica Type Specimen’ by Norm, 2009

’Republica Type Specimen’ , 2009

(Image credit: Norm)

The walls and floor of KesselsKramer’s area of the exhibition completely covered in the agency’s posters, flyers, designs, books, photos and scribbles

The walls and floor of KesselsKramer’s area of the exhibition are completely covered in the agency’s posters, flyers, designs, books, photos and scribbles, which reflect its ’near-manic’ creative output. In the centre is a peaceful children’s play area - a symbol of the value the agency places on the importance of play for the generation of ideas

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

’Now even more...’ campaign by KesselsKramer for Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam, 1996

’Now even more...’ campaign by KesselsKramer for Hans Brinker Budget Hotel in Amsterdam, 1996

(Image credit: KesselsKramer)

A photograph of the ’I Amsterdam’ campaign by KesselsKramer, 2004

A photograph of the ’I Amsterdam’ campaign, 2004

(Image credit: KesselsKramer)

KesselsKramer logo

KesselsKramer logo

(Image credit: press)

works of M/M (Paris) displayed in a 3D model on a table

The works of M/M (Paris) are displayed in a 3D model on a table – a recreation of that found in the designers’ office. As visitors leaf through their archives, the voice of DJ Tommy Vee is heard, describing M/M’s ‘symbol-dense’ environment

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

’Starting from Zero’ by Na Kim, 2008

’Starting from Zero’, 2008

(Image credit: Na Kim)

Harmen Liemburg sets up his installation in the Triennale

Harmen Liemburg sets up his installation in the Triennale

(Image credit: press)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

From left to right: works by Harmen Leimburg and Christophe Jacquet. Leimburg has contributed sketches, papercuts and stacks of colour separated films - the idea being to create something new from process material he has amassed over the years - while Jacquet is showing posters of his fish alphabet, and reproductions of pages from his book, Reproduction Générale

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Close up of ’Pirateristik’ by Harmen Liemburg, 2010

Close up of ’Pirateristik’ , 2010

(Image credit: Harmen Liemburg)

’Face off’ by Harmen Liemburg, 2010

’Face off’, 2010

(Image credit: Harmen Liemburg)

Murano glass letters spell out the name of Manfredo Settala in an installation by Åbäke

Murano glass letters spell out the name of Manfredo Settala in an installation by Åbäke, which pays homage to the 17th century collector

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Installation view of work by Åbäke

Installation view of work by Åbäke

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

Elliott Earl’s installation explores the ramifications of the shrinking population of Detroit - once the fifth largest city in the US - in connection with global concerns

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Graphic Design Worlds at the Triennale di Milano

In the gallery’s central room are the works of 11 young Italian graphic designers, including Brave New Alps (foreground), whose contribution reflects on the issue of waste management in Campania

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

Cover design for ’Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volume I’, 2009, by Fuel

Cover design for ’Russian Criminal Tattoo Encyclopaedia Volume I’, 2009

(Image credit: Fuel)

Cover for ’Crime: A Series of Extraordinary Interviews Exposing the World of Crime - Real and Imagined’ by Fuel, 2008

Cover for ’Crime: A Series of Extraordinary Interviews Exposing the World of Crime - Real and Imagined’, 2008

(Image credit: Fuel)

Cover for ’Drawings from the Gulag’ by Fuel, 2010

Cover for ’Drawings from the Gulag’, 2010

(Image credit: Fuel)

An installation by Metahaven, exploring the ’multi-jurisdictional identity’ of WikiLeaks.

An installation by Metahaven, exploring the ’multi-jurisdictional identity’ of WikiLeaks.

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

hand-painted tower forms part of an installation by Geoff McFetridge

A hand-painted tower forms part of an installation by Geoff McFetridge. Visitors enter via doors hidden within the legs of a female figure and, once inside, find illustrations and a video concealed inside a book

(Image credit: Fabrizio Marchesi)

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Malaika Byng is an editor, writer and consultant covering everything from architecture, design and ecology to art and craft. She was online editor for Wallpaper* magazine for three years and more recently editor of Crafts magazine, until she decided to go freelance in 2022. Based in London, she now writes for the Financial Times, Metropolis, Kinfolk and The Plant, among others.