The work Whatever Brings You Happiness is a diesel-free ATB Man Lion's City bus transformed into a mobile installation. The vehicle a hot shade of pink all over, a colour much loved by designer Peter Fink, who in 2014 transformed Bergamo's Piazza Vecchia with this shade of fuchsia for the Maestri del Paesaggio event. The two sides of the bus are decorated with the geometric motifs that are also seen on the Christmas Design logo. The bus, which will continue to function in this artistic version, will move around the streets of Bergamo in service on all the different urban lines by rotation. It will bring many smiles of joy to passers-by, and not only for its vibrant colours: the rear of the bus ironically shows the infectious smile of Fink himself as he pays homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente wearing the iconic red wig of the Japanese artist. We asked the artist to tell us what his work represents: "Whatever brings you happiness", he replied, alluding to the title of the installation. Everyone, therefore, will find the answer within themselves.

Designer

Whatever brings you happiness

The designer, which is also the commissioning company, is Dugongo.

This is a video installation projected inside The Gate. The project talks about the importance of coexistence between cultures through a variety of graphic elements, each of which represents the different facets of cultures, religions and experiences that coexist peacefully in the same space. These elements are presented in different and repeated ways to highlight the mutability of reality, bearing in mind that all diversities are subject to the same dynamics of harmonious coexistence. The repetition highlights how diversity is subject to the same dynamics of harmonious coexistence and how, together, they can enhance each other and give rise to mutual enrichment.

Sconfinati Passaggi explores the theme of peaceful coexistence between different cultures and values. It is a futuristic vision, a utopia that can, hopefully, become reality. In this context, Artificial Intelligence is seen as a representative force of this concept. Despite the ongoing ethical debate around the world regarding AI, the intention is to turn this controversy into a manifestation of creativity. AI will be used as a means to connect, understand and break down cultural barriers. Hopefully, the project can help shape a future in which diversity is celebrated and coexistence between cultures becomes a concrete reality.

In what way does Sconfinati Passaggi pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

Some of the animations in the video installation recall the work of the Japanese artist.

What is message that the artwork conveys? Sconfinati Passaggi emphasises the need to respect differences, without any form of fusion or homologation. We are all inhabitants of the same planet, destined to share the same habitat and live together in harmony.

How did the inspiration come about? The unfortunate historical moment of divisions we are living through calls for a reminder of the values ​​of peaceful coexistence.

How do Sconfinati Passaggi and The Gate dialogue with each other? The Gate represents a passageway, a gap between different realities, a wormhole which also symbolizes a dimensional passageway between different cultures.

Sconfinati Passaggi (‘Endless passageways’) is a video installation that conveys the message of coexistence between different cultures within a common space, emphasising the need to respect differences, without any form of fusion or homologation. We are all inhabitants of the same planet, destined to share and live together in harmony. Sconfinati Passaggi represents a passageway, a space between reality and cultures. The variety of graphic elements represents the different facets of humanity with its cultures that coexist peacefully. These elements are presented in different and repeated ways to highlight the mutability of reality, bearing in mind that all diversities are subject to the same dynamics of harmonious coexistence. For the Dugongo designers, authors of the video installation, Artificial Intelligence can convey the representative strength of this concept and in this case it is a means to connect people and break down cultural barriers.

Sconfinati Passaggi, a video installation commissioned and conceived by Dugongo, is projected at The Gate, in Piazza Matteotti.

Sconfinati Passaggi - Endless passageways

Artist

Fiammetta is the enlarged reproduction, on a monumental scale, of a candle. This highly symbolic object takes on astonishing proportions, measuring 300 (in height) x 210 x 100cm. The cylinder and the candle light have been created by assembling lighting bodies from both industrial and domestic use, such as safety lamps, signalling lamps, flashing lights and neon tubes, mirrored and amplified by a body of water installed in the outdoor area. Water functions as an environmental device that defines the area of action of the artwork, inserted within the existing place.


Reflecting on the meaning of holidays and giving, Santo Tolone wished to trigger a reciprocal relationship between the work and the public. “It seemed natural to me to use real-life lighting bodies – such as flashing lights, stroboscopic lights, neon – to create the work,” declares the artist. “Fiammetta is the representation of a candle, a highly symbolic subject very much present in the festive season. The luminous bodies used to create the work each retain their original behaviour, creating a multiplicity of impulses, colours and rhythms. A collage of luminous bodies from different moments and situations tells of an elsewhere, which can only be imagined... the slow opening of a gate, the movement of a tractor across a field... which presents itself to the mind of the passer-by, like a reverberation in the memory. It propagates itself through experiencing the artwork, going beyond the transitory nature of the installation.”


What links La Pasqualina’s mission to Santo Tolone’s work?

“In the process of designing the opera, I think I was influenced by a method that I saw firsthand behind the scenes of the production of La Pasqualina,” says Tolone. “The neatness in the use and valorisation of simple but quality raw materials. The skilful combination of ingredients without distorting them, one's own idea of ​​tradition. A mix that together with the passion and history of the family defines its identity."


How does the work pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

In Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente and in Fiammetta the water fills to the brim the container, transforming the surface into a mirror that modifies the perception and experience of the place. Like a mysterious spell, water doubles reality by mirroring it, while remaining hidden. Since times immemorial, this has been mystery and a gift of which water has been guardian... In water lies also the unsolved enigma from which the adventure of life began, from our hominid ancestors, all the way to the man who raised his eyes to the sky, became biped for the anxiety to look at it, to look towards the light. In every pond, in every urban fountain, in every puddle after the rain, the enchantment and mystery continue, as in the myth of Narcissus. Let’s keep this enchantment.


What is the message that the company and designer wish to convey through this installation?

To share and pass on a message of greeting through art.


“The idea was born at night while I was in bed, looking at the hypnotic flashing of the light of a nearby burglar alarm,” says Santo Tolone.


How does Fiammetta dialogue with Piazza Matteotti?

The has been projected to fit discreetly into the urban context of Piazza Matteotti, for the large terrace of the La Pasqualina pastry shop, between the monument to Lorenzo Mascheroni and Fratelli Calvi. This particular public space plus the celebration of the Christmas holidays brought about a reflection on an artwork accessible to everyone, an immediate, but also playful work of art. It is aimed at fitting into the existing space to result in a unified, harmonious air of completeness and cohesion.

Fiammetta is the enlarged reproduction, on a monumental scale, of a candle. This highly symbolic object takes on astonishing proportions, measuring 300 (in height) x 210 x 100cm. The cylinder and the candle light have been created by assembling lighting bodies from both industrial and domestic use, such as safety lamps, signalling lamps, flashing lights and neon tubes, mirrored and amplified by a body of water installed in the outdoor area. Water functions as an environmental device that defines the area of action of the artwork, inserted within the existing place.

The work, created for Christmas Design 2023 by Santo Tolone through the contribution of La Pasqualina, is exhibited in Piazza Matteotti, in Bergamo Bassa.

Technical Partner

Fiammetta

You for Christmas is a 360-degree inclusive work that projects the viewer into the scene of the Adoration of the Child (1524), a panel painted by Bernardino Luini (1485-1532) and preserved at the Accademia Carrara. The installation is a complete celebration of Christmas, of birth and of the value of family.

What is the message of You for Christmas? 

On the one hand, You for Christmas proposes a traditional image of the Nativity, on the other, it spreads a modern message of inclusion, because the public that rapports with the work also becomes a protagonist in the scene, in an expanded Nativity.  The installation was created expressly to dialogue with those who observe it, to bring the observer into the sacred family, emphasising the sacredness of the human being. “You are our Christmas and you are part of Christmas,” this is the message of inclusion conveyed by the artist and by Fra.Mar. Jesus is born in the centre of an important piazza in Bergamo and asks us to reflect on the Nativity not only as believers but also as citizens.

How does the installation pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente? 

The reproduction of Bernardino Luini’s work, used with permission from the Fondazione Accademia Carrara di Bergamo, will be fixed to a large mirror, which will reflect the lights of the square, creating an incredible luminous dynamism. Elements of the artwork recall the Japanese artist's infinite polka dots, in which spectators will be able to recognize themselves.

The new Fra.Mar headquarters in Pedrengo is unique in concept and design, thanks to the involvement and interventions of the artist Steven Cavagna, who created a series of works capable of interpreting the messages and the story of a historic family business.

The choice to undertake this artistic journey, in December 2022, was decisive for Fra.Mar, which loves to tell its story to visitors every day through works of identity and narratives, full of words, lights, materials and colours. In the Christmas Piazza, Fra.Mar wishes to continue bringing together these elements: a religious message, art and enterprise.

Why does Fra.Mar want to present this work? 

Fra.Mar is a company that has over 1,000 employees from 52 countries; it was the first company in Italy to obtain a Gender Equality certification, with 86% female employment. The constant commitment to building an inclusive and respectful work environment was certainly a source of inspiration to imagine a work that celebrated Christmas, Bergamo and Fra.Mar, which bases its principles in Christian culture. The inspiration comes from the historical roots of Fra.Mar, which has always been committed to enhancing the family and which continues its work based precisely on these principles in its relations with all its players: employees, suppliers, territory and institutions.

How does You for Christmas dialogue with Largo Rezzara?

The work brings into the Piazza that which is found inside the Church. At Christmas the family comes out of the Church, and into contact with everyone. Furthermore, the mirror reflects the landscape and the protagonists of the square, thus fitting into the context and accentuating all its various facets.

You for Christmas is an interactive work that receives the viewer into the scene of the Adoration of the Child (1524), in a reproduction of the panel painted by Bernardino Luini (1485-1532) and preserved at the Accademia Carrara. On the one hand, You for Christmas proposes a traditional image of the Nativity, on the other, it spreads a modern message of inclusion, because the public that rapports with the work also becomes a protagonist in the scene, in an expanded Nativity. The Nativity scene placed on a large mirror, will reflect the lights of the Piazza, creating an incredible luminous dynamism.

You for Christmas, conceived by Steven Cavagna for Christmas Design 2023, has been created thanks to the contribution of Fra.Mar and will be exhibited in Largo Rezzara in Bergamo.

You for Christmas

AMDL CIRCLE - Arch. Angelo Micheli and Arch. Banafsheh Razavi

 The artwork, made of wooden planks, is divided into linear sections of varying lengths and heights, placed in the form of an open circle, in the centre of which is a wooden container which holds a brazier for the fire. The linear sections are long seats where one can rest; the lateral jointures are painted in different hues. The wooden container for the brazier has within a second container, of iron colored aqua blue.

An internal journey, but also a path of growth. The installation represents a series of embankments, along which humanity can reach the ideal place in which to sit and admire the universe, observing, unhindered, the depths of the sky. On reaching the pinnacle, man will be by himself and will understand that the future is his dialogue with the other living beings present on earth. The flame is the fulcrum of the meeting, everyone will sit around it and observe the lapilli forcefully released by its strength, and will see the sky coloured with smiles.

What links Studio BNC and Bergamo+ to AMDL CIRCLE? 

The passion for art is the meeting point and art is the means for designers to find other inspiration for projects in other fields.

How does this installation pay homage to Yayoi Kusama, Infinito Presente?

The evanescence of the flame that rises fearlessly towards the sky is a tribute to the work of Yayoi Kuzama.

What is the message that the installation aims to convey? 

The work must convey to human beings the awareness of the need to be close to each other, dialogue with themselves and the power of nature. The fire at the center is the soul of man that merges with the soul of nature, unleashing that beauty that is the universe of thought.

Humanity in its complexity is the inspiration, and the installation and is dedicated to this.

How does the installation interact with the chosen location, Via Mazzini?

For AMDL CIRCLE an artwork must be designed in such a way as to be installable anywhere, it must communicate with any place and be an instrument of surprise for the people who find themselves before it at any time.

Cielo Colorato, which means 'colourful sky,' is at the same time a dilemma and an invitation. Passers-by will find themselves before a series of embankments, along which humanity can reach the ideal place in which to sit and admire the universe, observing, unhindered, the depths of the sky. On reaching the pinnacle, man will be by himself and will understand that the future is his dialogue with the other living beings present on earth. The flame is the fulcrum of the meeting, everyone will sit around it and observe the lapilli forcefully released by its strength, and will see the sky coloured with smiles.

The artwork, made of wooden planks, is divided into linear sections of varying lengths and heights, placed in the form of an open circle, in the centre of which is a wooden container which holds a brazier for the fire. The linear sections are long seats where one can rest; the lateral jointures are painted in different hues. The wooden container for the brazier has within a second container, of iron colored aqua blue.

Cielo Colorato - Colorful Sky

The installation is composed of a mirror of light, a circle of LED lighting 4 meters in diameter, which together create a bright and colourful universe, to be observed and in which, at the same time, to observe oneself. Thanks to the presence of a camera the spectator will be able, not only to view his own reflection in the LED mirror, but to initiate an interactive dialogue with the artwork.

It is a work by MiDi Motori Digitali that looks at the theme of mirrors and reflections. The reflection that the work presents is consciously conveyed by a technology that does not want to reproduce a precise image, but which, on the contrary, proposes a rougher, but no less faithful representation. The artwork connects the individual with himself, magnifying and

amplifying that which is before him, such as faces and figures, thus allowing the public to recognize themselves and accept as belonging to themselves even that which is not completely faithful to the original.

Every person who passes before or stops in front of the work will therefore be able

The artwork cannot exist without anyone dialoguing with it.It cannot exist if there are no people. The installation exists only when someone relates with it.

What does Bonaldi - Gruppo Eurocar Italia have in common with MiDi - Motori Digitali? 

One of the most significant points of the Bonaldi - Gruppo Eurocar Italia mission is to valorise human capital both within and outside the company. Inner Resonance conveys this concept perfectly, placing the individual at the centre of the artwork, giving him real value. In this setup commissioned by Bonaldi - Gruppo Eurocar Italia, the individual is the only one who has the power to activate the installation by standing before it and communicating with it.

How Inner Resonance pays homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente? 

The reknowned Japanese artist uses mirrors to place herself in front of the infinite, to admire it and to discover it, an infinity that seems neverending. An infinity which, for this reason, attracts us but sometimes instills fear in us. We choose to dialogue with the mirror by focusing on a reflected effect that can instead help us to understand our complexity in the multiple plurality of our reflected images, accepting ourselves and feeling represented. Just like Yayoi Kusama Infinity Mirror Room, however, this artwork only happens if someone decides to establish a relationship with it.

What is the message that the installation is meant to convey? 

The intention is to bring the individual back to the centre of attention. Over the past few decades we have seen an explosion of technological innovations that have transformed the way we live, work and connect. Putting the human being back at the centre of the cultural debate means inviting greater emotional connection and a deeper understanding of the person needs and dreams. The work therefore proposes a reflection on the complexities of the human being, on the value of diversity, of the infinite stories and voices that exist in the world. This process is supported through technology, which here becomes a tool of discovery and reflection.

In recent years, MiDi Motori Digitali research has increasingly focused on the relationship between individuals and technologies, from a proactive perspective, considering technology as a means of growth for humanity. Light, with its immediacy and in its role of a universal language, has become the privileged medium for bringing the public closer to new media art. In Inner Resonance, MiDi tries to convey these two aspects, designing an artwork in

which the person is the absolute protagonist.

How does the artwork communicate with Piazza della Repubblica? 

Thanks to its location in the centre of the Piazza, a hub between Città Bassa and Città Alta, Inner Resonance communicates with the entire city in transit.

This impressive work of light in the centre of the Piazza highlights the faces and people of those who live in the city, experience it and explore it. Passers-by will be attracted, as if by a magnet, to this large mirror of light.

Who is this in front of me? Who am I and what is there other than me? Inner Resonance is an interactive light installation, an example of new media art. A mirror of light and a large circle of LED lights create a bright and colourful universe. Visitors find themselves before an artwork to observe and in which, simultaneously, to observe themselves. The presence of a camera allows the spectator not only to view his own reflection in the mirror, but to also initiate a dialogue with the installation and at the same time listen to his own inner resonance.

Inner Resonance

Italtrans S.p.A. + DOMUS ing&arch S.r.l. + COSPE S.r.l.

It is an immersive work that unites the lighting of the trees in the Piazza with the lights in the flowerbeds and invites the visitor himself to become an artist. There are also stylized light elements that are a reminder of the symbols of Christmas and welcome the visitor to the Piazza. The installation will therefore become a collective artwork without pre-established patterns, resulting from the participation of the visitors who will themselves take part in the creation.

It represents an invitation to immerse oneself in a magical world made of lights, which guides visitors towards the symbols of Christmas and makes them part and parcel of the magic of the place.

What do Italtrans S.p.A., COSPE S.r.l. and DOMUS ing&arch S.r.l. have in common? 

We have been linked for years by a relationship of collaboration and friendship based on mutual respect and understanding and we share an interest in contemporary art and in caring for the territory.

How does Magia! pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

The enormous quantity of lights used creates an embracing and at the same time an alienating atmosphere, inviting contemplation and introspective reflection, as happens with many works by the Japanese artist.

What is the message that this installation conveys? The installation aims to gift Bergamo and its denizens a space with a "magical" atmosphere, in this rediscovered part of Città Bassa.

The inspiration comes from the challenge of mixing the classic symbols of Christmas with technology and lighting. The discovery of Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente completes the circle.

How does the installation communicate with Piazza Dante? 

The installation has been designed specifically in relation to the Piazza, which greets visitors with an embrace.

Magia! ('Magic!) is an immersive artwork that unites the lighting of the trees in the Piazza with the lights in the flowerbeds, inviting the visitor himself to become the designer of the installation. Stylized luminous elements are reminders of the symbols of Christmas and call out to those nearing the Piazza. Magia! is a collective installation in continuous evolution; an installation without pre-established patterns, resulting from the presence of the visitor who will take part in the creation.

Magia! in Piazza Dante, was conceived for Christmas Design 2023 by Studio DOMUS thanks to the contribution of Italtrans Spa and COSPE Srl.

Magia - Magic

Christmas Pop is an interactive installation. On a raised square platform, vertical in coloured transparent plexiglass are installed, which can be traversed by entering the installation. The upper parts of some blades are straight while others are inclined, recalling the skylines of our Dolomites and of the city of Bergamo, but also of the logo of Christmas Design. The  lights positioned on the platform, directed towards these blades, creates plays of lights and colours that recall Christmas lights.

Christmas Pop wants to convey emotions with an incredible play of colours and lights, transmitting the magic of Christmas and the emotions it evokes.

What links the mission of Zenucchi Design Code to the designer Massimo Castagna?

For over 20 years, Massimo Castagna has been the Art Director of Zenucchi Design Code.

In what way does Christmas Pop pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

The installation is absolutely abstract, combining hallucination, utopia, illusion and reality. One can enter and go through it, becoming part of the work itself, generating moving, coloured shadows, visible to those who admire the installation from the outside and to those who are within it. Differing points of view for a fantastic landscape; an abstract and colourful  world.

What is the message that the company and the designer wish to convey? 

The abstract interpretation of a Christmas tree, through its play of light, evokes the emotions that a lighted Christmas tree does. The ‘tree’ here does not have a conventional shape but is represented by simple geometric shapes and lights, but nevertheless arouse the same emotions.

From the symbols of Christmas. The colours, the lights, the spheres, the geometrical shapes, are all free interpretations of the tree that represents Christmas for us; an unconventional Christmas tree.

How does Christmas Pop dialogue with Largo Gianandrea Gavazzeni? 

The installation is located near the Donizetti Theatre, in a position where people can

walk around it and even enter and pass right through it.

Christmas Pop is an interactive installation conceived as an unconventional Christmas tree, which projects lights and plays of coloured shadows on the architecture of the Donizetti Theatre and the ‘Sentierone’, in the heart of Downtown Bergamo. 

There is no explicit reference to real tree-shapes: the artwork consists of a transparent plexiglass structure that is a reminder of the peaks of the Dolomites, but also of the Bergamo Alta skyline. The work comes alive in the evening with a play of light. The main lights are directed towards the transparent "blades" which combine with the shadows of people as they move across, creating unusual luminous acrobatics all around.

Christmas Pop, designed for Christmas Design 2023 by Massimo Castagna and created with the contribution of Zenucchi Design Code, will be exhibited in Largo Gianandrea Gavazzeni, near the Donizetti Theatre, in Bergamo.

Christmas Pop

Chiara Arrigoni and Martina Nodari, students of LABA, Libera Accademia Belle Arti of Brescia, coordinated by Professors Andrea Paroli and Nazareno Cerquaglia.

Commissioning company? A2A with RPP. Run Power Plants Srl “La nuova Luce” (Nocivelli Group).

The installation consists of seven triangles of different heights, arranged in a circle around a light column, on a radial platform. This platform, with a diameter of 6 metres, has been designed with a mirror coating to recall the rivers and lakes of the area and at the same time to allude to a total fusion with nature. The RGB LED lights create color harmonies and animations, in yellow, green and blue.

A soundtrack composed by cellist and composer Daniela Savoldi creates an even more engaging atmosphere.

It is a tribute to the natural landscapes of the Bergamo Brescia 2023. Capitale Italiana della Cultura.

What links the mission of A2A and Gruppo Nocivelli to the two chosen designers? 

Both companies deal with energy and the design and construction of LED lighting systems and have always shown attention to the environment and the valorization of the territory and its artistic heritage. The support for the realization of the project of a light installation conceived by two students of the LABA Academy was therefore natural.

In what way and how does Horama pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

Mirrors and lights are two fundamental elements both in Horama and in the works exhibited at Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente. Furthermore, both works pay homage to and remember the territory of their respective artists.

What is the message that the company and designer wish to convey with this installation?

It is important for all of us to raise citizens' awareness of the beauty of and the care for our territory.

The students of the lighting engineering course at the LABA Academy in Brescia were invited by their teachers to design an installation for Light is Life A2A Festival of Lights in small groups as part of the initiatives for Bergamo Brescia 2023. Capitale Italiana della Cultura. Horama, inspired by the beauty of the territory, was the project chosen by the artistic direction of the festival and has now been chosen to close the celebrations for the Capital of Culture in Bergamo as well, with this participation in Christmas Design 2023.

How does the installation interact with the location, Largo Belotti?

The installation be framed by the "Sentierone", characterizing the churchyard of Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano and dialoguing with its nineteenth-century façade. A positive relationship is thus created between the urban environment and the nature of the territory, an invitation to improve the quality of life of citizens and to promote increasingly sustainable choices.

The Greek term horama, in fact, refers to the view of a territory, a pleasant view, an immersive experience connected with the landscape and its beauty (our word panorama derives from it).


Horama consists of seven triangles of different heights placed around a circular base. Some of the parts are made of perforated sheet metal, which, arranged in a particular way, recreate a special light effect. The installation is made entirely of metal and visitors are invited to observe it from very close, so that each one can create their own intimate relationship with the work. The radial platform of the artwork is inscribed in a circle 6 meters in diameter. At every step, visitors will be able to see their own reflection along the path, brought about by a mirrored coating that recalls bodies of water, rivers and lakes, praising fusion with nature (but is also a tribute to the work of Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente).


Lighting is a fundamental element for Horama, with a strong impact even in the evening hours. The fulcrum of the installation is a central spot of RGB lights, animated by a dynamic intensity and color variations, between yellow, green and blue, tones of the natural landscapes of Bergamo and Brescia. The LED strips applied to the profiles of the work add a play of lights amplified by the reflective base. Thus Horama is nature, life, earth and water, but above all light. The soundtrack composed by cellist Daniela Savoldi further emphasises the atmosphere.


Horama, conceived by the students of the LABA Academy, Chiara Arrigoni and Martina Nodari, under the guidance of professors Andrea Paroli and Nazareno Cerquaglia, has been created thanks to the contribution of A2A and RPP S.r.l. (Nocivelli Group) and exhibited in Largo Bortolo Belotti.

THE HORAMA LIGHT INSTALLATION IS A TRIBUTE TO THE BEAUTY OF THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE, THE MOUNTAINS, THE HILLS, THE LAKES OF THE BERGAMO BRESCIA 2023 CAPITALE DELLA CULTURA

Horama

The artwork offers a unique and engaging experience, an immersive journey into Santa Claus’s Factory, combining contemporary art with the magic of the festive season. The design of this virtual place, modern and avant-garde, but at the same time familiar and welcoming, pays homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente, theme of Christmas Design 2023. The infinite repetition of polka dots and the vibrant plays of colour, typical of Kusama’s art, blend in with the Christmas atmosphere, creating a fascinating contrast between tradition and modernity. Looking out from the factory, visitors can admire Santa Claus’s house, also reinterpreted through the aesthetics of Kusama.


The Polar Gate is the realization of a universal dream. Which of us, as a child, didn’t want to visit the place where Santa Claus makes Christmas presents, where the magic of Christmas comes to life? Thanks to ADOK’s project, this dream becomes a tangible reality, allowing visitors to completely immerse themselves in a world of wonder and fantasy.


How does this installation pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

The artwork does this through the profound interaction between technology and art. Using a visor as a ‘gate’, the viewer is invited to enter a universe where the boundary between the real and the virtual becomes blurred. This approach reflects Kusama's concept of the ‘Infinite Present’, an idea that explores the continuous interaction between the individual and the surrounding universe. In the installation, the journey through Santa’s factory and his home in Lapland represents a never-ending, borderless experience, evoking the feelings of infinity and interconnection that are at the heart of Kusama’s work. In this way, homage is paid to the artist visually, but also conceptually, in an endless continuum between the self and others.

The Polar Gate demonstrates how technology can let us live out our deepest dreams and childhood fantasies. Virtual reality transports people into completely new spaces and worlds, offering an experience that surpasses everyday reality. The central message is the fusion of past and future, highlighting the importance of art and creativity in shaping our experiences.


Over the recent past, ADOK has been considering bringing something unique and special to the heart of the city during the Christmas season. This wish finally found its rightful space in Christmas Design. The inspiration came from the passion for Christmas and the curiosity to explore new frontiers in the field of immersive experiences. AI tools helped to optimize and refine this vision.


How does The Polar Gate dialogue with Piazzetta Santo Spirito, 5?

In a limited space in the heart of the historic center of Città Alta, The Polar Gate challenges our sensorial perceptions. Thanks to the immersive experience, the physical dimensions of the place are transformed into a bridge, a gate towards an infinite universe, transporting spectators into a modern and ‘pop’ Santa Claus factory. This contrast creates a unique synergy: the past and the future blend together in a visual and sensorial dialogue. The tradition of the location and the innovation of the installation complement each other, offering visitors an experience that is both familiar and revolutionary at the same time.

The Polar Gate is the realization of a universal dream. Which of us, as a child, didn’t want to visit the place where Santa Claus makes Christmas presents, where the magic of Christmas comes to life? Thanks to ADOK’s project, this dream becomes a tangible reality, allowing visitors to completely immerse themselves in a world of wonder and fantasy.

Through the use of virtual reality visors, participants are catapulted into an extraordinary environment: a modern Santa Claus factory near the Arctic Circle. The entire experience is designed to be more than just a visualization: the visor acts as a portal, a ‘gate’ that transports the viewer into this alternate reality.

The Polar Gate

Voi, Luce is an interactive light sculpture: a stylized Christmas tree that lights up when touched, because it ‘collects’ and retransmits the light of every person it. This design solution allows people to actively dialogue with the installation; their presence becomes essential for its functioning.

The iron and steel artwork is made up of four triangular structures that intertwine and support each other, creating a sculpture that recalls the slender shape of a Christmas fir tree, a light and balanced monument. Sixty metres of LED strips are fixed along its outlines, and these come alive with colours. 

Despite its grandeur, the visual impact of the installation is light, in perfect harmony with the space in which it is inserted. The artwork does not obstruct the view of the façade of the Accademia Carrara; on the contrary, it establishes a close link with the architecture of the art gallery, projecting itself into space as a sort of refraction of Tutta in voi la luce mia. 

The result is an animated prism which, touched by the light of the public, in its turn creates luminous effects in space.

The installation is inspired by the exhibition that closes the Accademia Carrara season, "Tutta in voi la luce mia".

VOI, LUCE

Il laboratorio segreto (The secret laboratory)

What does Il Laboratorio Segreto look like? 

Il laboratorio segreto (the secret laboratory) is an artistic floor installation, designed to integrate and merge with the landscape of the place that hosts it, Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe. The work focuses on a particular form of optical illusion. The aim is to amaze those who enter the square with a pleasant surprise effect, offering visitors an interactive experience that adds to the Christmas atmosphere that will fill the streets of Città Alta. The painting presents a dreamlike and prospectively immersive vision of a leavened dessert factory, with the panettone as the undisputed protagonist. The masterful creation of an anamorphic painting creates an optical illusion that catapults the visitor onto the threshold of the factory, giving the spectator the chance to take a photograph of himself as a part of the artwork. 

What does Il Laboratorio Segreto represent? 

The concept of the work revolves around the idea of ​​celebrating the culinary tradition and the Christmas atmosphere of Bergamo through an anamorphic painting. The work depicts a dreamlike vision of a leavened dessert factory, with particular emphasis on the panettone as the protagonist. Natural ingredients, such as butter, flour, milk and eggs, are represented in detail, underlining the authenticity and importance of local products.

The key element is interactivity. Viewers are encouraged to physically enter the artwork to experience the anamorphic effect, which transforms the scene into a three-dimensional Christmas celebration. This active participation allows the public to live a one-of-a-kind artistic and sensorial experience, connecting with the Bergamo culinary tradition and completely immersing themselves in the Christmas atmosphere.

The work aims to convey the beauty, magic and authenticity of local products and culinary culture, combining visual art with Christmas tradition. It represents a fusion of reality and imagination, where observation turns into participation, creating an extraordinary experience for visitors.

What links the company’s mission to the chosen designer?

The artist and the company discovered a common mission in pictorial art and gastronomic craftsmanship. The company, with its artisan tradition and use of natural ingredients, inspired the artist to create a visual work that celebrates the authenticity of its products. Pictorial art, through an anamorphic painting, enhances both the gastronomic products and the artistic work. The work involves the public, combining observation with sensorial experience, creating a profound connection between tradition and artistic creativity.

To summarise, the artist found himself with the company's mission in a moment of shared inspiration. This same passion for culinary tradition struck the artist, who took it as an opportunity to combine the world of pictorial art with that of confectioner’s craftsmanship. Combining two aspects of our culture that often meet and confuse each other, Art and Craftsmanship.

In what way does the installation pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente?

There are several aspects that link the two art forms, both of which use optical effects and perspectives, which are key elements. While Kusama is known for her immersive installations that exploit mirrors and reflections to create a sense of infinity and of immersion, anamorphic art uses particular perspectives to deceive the eye and create an illusion of three-dimensionality.

There are four aspects that undoubtedly link these two apparently very different worlds.

1. Illusion and Reality: Both Yayoi Kusama's art and anamorphic art are based on the idea of ​​creating visual illusions. In Kusama's works, mirrors and repetitions create the illusion of infinite spaces, while in anamorphic art, the illusion of three-dimensionality is created through perspective.

2. Audience Involvement: Both art forms actively engage the audience. In Kusama's installations, visitors often become part of the artwork itself through reflections, while in anamorphic art, visitors are invited to physically interact with the work to reveal the anamorphic effect.

3. Exploration of perception: Both Kusama and anamorphic art explore visual perception and subjective reality. Kusama's works challenge the perception of size and depth, while anamorphic art challenges the perception of shape and proportion.

4. Psychological and emotional effects: Both artistic genres are capable of arousing emotional and psychological reactions in visitors. Kusama's works often evoke a feeling of infinity and self-reflection, while anamorphic art can surprise and amaze audiences, pushing them to explore the work further.

On the whole, optical effect and perspective are powerful tools that can be used in multiple ways to engage audiences and create unique artistic experiences. Both artistic worlds demonstrate how visual perception is a fundamental part of the artistic experience and how optical effects and perspective can be exploited to create profound connections between art and viewers.

The importance of research, time, passion, dedication, courage and culture in the process of creating a quality product that reflects the tradition of a territory cannot be underestimated. Constant research perfects artisan skills and allows us to discover new creative ways. Time invested in perfecting a craft helps create authentic, high-quality products. Passion and dedication are the engine that drives artisans to overcome challenges and work with constant commitment.

Courage is necessary to innovate, experiment with new techniques and materials without abandoning traditional roots. Local culture provides a solid foundation, rooted in the history and practices of the area, which gives authenticity and meaning to the product. These elements are essential to combine craftsmanship and art. Craftsmanship, with its mastery and dedication, provides the solid foundation and quality craftsmanship. Art, with its creativity and innovation, brings new perspectives and interpretations to tradition. Together, craftsmanship and art come together to create works that honor the culture and tradition of an area, while embracing the future with new and fascinating artistic expressions.

It was brought about through sharing the passion for each one’s profession.

How does the artwork dialogue with Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe, Città Alta?

An anamorphic painting integrates with its surroundings through optical illusion and perspective. Its narrative can change based on the context in which it is positioned, connecting to the history and atmosphere of the place. At the same time, the painting can transform the environment, attracting attention and creating a point of interest, enriching the experience of visitors. In short, an anamorphic painting offers a dynamic interaction between the art and its location.

Il laboratorio segreto (the secret laboratory) is an artistic floor installation, designed to integrate and merge with the landscape of the place that hosts it, Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe. The work focuses on a particular form of optical illusion. The aim is to amaze those who enter the square with a pleasant surprise effect, offering visitors an interactive experience that adds to the Christmas atmosphere that will fill the streets of Città Alta. The painting presents a dreamlike and prospectively immersive vision of a leavened dessert factory, with the panettone as the undisputed protagonist. The masterful creation of an anamorphic painting creates an optical illusion that catapults the visitor onto the threshold of the factory, giving the spectator the chance to take a photograph of himself as a part of the artwork.

A spectacle made up of projections of points of white light on the facades of the buildings around the Piazza, sparks of red light along the path, luminous trees that accompany the visitor towards the heart of the show, where video animations around the theme of Christmas will be played.

A magical world made of lights within which the visitor can rediscover the symbols of Christmas.

How did the collaboration between Lodauto and DOMUS ing&arch come about? 

We are linked by a ten-year relationship of collaboration and friendship, based on mutual esteem and understanding.

How does Meraviglia pay homage to Yayoi Kusama. Infinito Presente? 

The use of an infinite quantity of lights (real or projected) creates a surreal and enveloping atmosphere, just as do Kusama's Starry Skies do.

What message does the installation convey? 

Both, the company and the designer have a wish to awaken the city and its inhabitants with a sense of wonder that will embrace  visitors as they enter the Piazza.

How does the installation communicate with Piazza della Cittadella? 

The installation has been designed specifically in relation to the place, involving this iconic Piazza of Città Alta. The light show accentuates the architectural structure of the Piazza while leading the visitor down a path of discovery.

The visitor will be welcomed in Piazza della Cittadella by a surreal ecosystem of lights, with the dazzling, magical effect that one feels when opening a box of wonders.

A game of projections, lights, illuminated trees and video animations will accompany participants on an unprecedented journey of discovery of the symbols of Christmas.

Meraviglia! has been designed for Christmas Design 2023 by Domus ing&arch and created thanks to the contribution of Lodauto S.p.A. to be exhibited in Piazza della Cittadella.

Meraviglia

Artista

Persico Group and G.E.G. Telecomunicazioni

Portico of the northern facade, Citadella Viscontea in Città Alta.

On entering the portico from the Largo Colle Aperto door and walking towards the entrance to the Archaeological Museum, the visitor will come upon a series of seven stylized cities made in neon, suspended between the arches of the portico. Above these the visitor will see a written sign - again in neon - installed perpendicular to the cities. The writing runs along the entire portico and visually unites the seven cities. The installation will be visible from all parts of the Piazza.

The suspended cities represent the presumable stages of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. This long journey, of more than 150 kilometres, is mentioned only in the Gospel of Luke, as well as in the Apocrypha. We know nothing about how it took place; we know nothing of the difficulties of such an undertaking, carried out with the sole support of a donkey to transport their necessities, and in the company of one of Joseph’s brothers.

With the help of the Tabula Peutingeriana, a medieval replica of a 1st-4th century map, the possible route was reconstructed.  The names of the cities and the drawings are taken from this ancient road map.

The writing that flows above the cities is composed of two excerpts from a poem by George Abraham, a Palestinian-American poet who reflects on his diasporic identity, on the trauma affecting his family and his land, on the body and on memory as "Fragmented countries".

What is the meeting point of the missions of Persico, G.E.G. Telecomunicazioni and the artist Matteo Rubbi?

Both Persico Group and G.E.G. Telecomunicazioni work with very advanced technologies. Matteo Rubbi had a desire to put their technology at the service of visual arts and storytelling. Neon lighting is more than a hundred years old; it has characterized the urban landscape of the 20th century and is still very present in today’s cities. Compared to today's more widespread technologies, such as those that use LEDs, neon demonstrates greater durability over time despite its age and its still artisanal workmanship guarantees greater versatility of shapes which fits well with the artistic process.

The two companies also care about sharing results and creating an open relationship with the public. So, during the event, workshops – especially for children – will be organized in order to make the installation even more lively and generative.

What is the message to be conveyed by the installation?

The work aims to give importance to Christmas through the places where this story began, in Palestine. This celebration, which has at its centre values ​​such as hospitality, acceptance of others and sharing, often excludes the more fragile and those in difficulty. At times Christmas becomes a moment during which loneliness, abandonment, marginalization and poverty become more evident. Hence the cities of Mary and Joseph’s journey are represented without doors, inaccessible: the prologue of the Gospel of Luke is recalled, the failure to welcome the light by the darkness, but above all the walls of today are remembered. George Abraham's poetry that flows over the seven cities takes us back to the profound trauma of those places and of those who had to abandon their homes. The challenge is no longer that of opening barred doors, but of making creative and political efforts to build new ones, of imagining how to live together on other bases.

Inspiration was sparked from this sentence from the Gospel of Luke: “Joseph, who was of the house and family of David, went up from the city of Nazareth and Galilee to Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.” (Lk 2:4).

How does this artwork dialogue with the place chosen for its creation?

The work is site-specific, conceived upon the characteristics of the space that hosts it, the portico of the Citadella Viscontea. The images of the cities respect the rhythm of the arches of the portico while the poetry unites them by stretching out along the entire length of the portico and overlooking the Piazza before it.

This long journey, of more than 150 kilometres, is mentioned only in the Gospel of Luke, as well as in the Apocrypha. We know nothing about how it took place; we know nothing of the difficulties of such an undertaking, carried out with the sole support of a donkey to transport their necessities, and in the company of one of Joseph’s brothers.

With the help of the Tabula Peutingeriana, a medieval replica of a 1st-4th century map, the possible route was reconstructed. The seven stylized cities are made in neon, suspended between the arches of the portico and are symbolically united by a poem by George Abraham.

Le Sette Porte is a work created by the artist Matteo Rubbi thanks to the contribution of Persico Group and G.E.G. Telecomunicazioni and is exhibited in the portico of the northern facade of the Citadella Viscontea in Città Alta.

Le Sette Porte, or ‘the Seven Doors’ is a site-specific work, conceived to espouse the architectural characteristics of the portico of the Citadella Viscontea in Città Alta, with the narration of the seven stages of Mary and Joseph’s presumable journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

2023 Edition - BGBS 23

TRIBUTE TO YAYOI KUSAMA.
INFINITE PRESENT

THE EVENT OFFERS CITIZENS AND TOURISTS A NEW ITINERARY
- FROM 5PM TO 00 AM -

COMPANIES & DESIGNERS

Whatever brings you happiness

Sconfinati Passaggi - Endless passageways

Fiammetta

You for Christmas

Cielo Colorato - Colorful Sky

Inner Resonance

Magia - Magic

Christmas Pop

Horama

The Polar Gate

VOI, LUCE

Il laboratorio segreto (The secret laboratory)

Meraviglia

Le sette porte

EPIFÀNIA. Incorporare l’imprevisto

BUSINESS PARTNERS

FIOCCHI DI NEVE (Snowflakes)

3 Christmas Tree

Oculum Angelorum

Sotto l'albero (Under the tree)

CHRISTMAS DESIGN IS THE FIRST WIDESPREAD EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO CREATIVITY AND ARTISTIC INSTALLATIONS

2023 Edition - BGBS 23

TRIBUTE TO YAYOI KUSAMA.INFINITE PRESENT

THE EVENT OFFERS CITIZENS AND TOURISTS A NEW ITINERARY- FROM 5PM TO 00 AM -

COMPANIES & DESIGNERS

Whatever brings you happiness

Sconfinati Passaggi - Endless passageways

Fiammetta

You for Christmas

Cielo Colorato - Colorful Sky

Inner Resonance

Magia - Magic

Christmas Pop

Horama

The Polar Gate

VOI, LUCE

Il laboratorio segreto (The secret laboratory)

Meraviglia

Le sette porte

EPIFÀNIA. Incorporare l’imprevisto

BUSINESS PARTNERS

FIOCCHI DI NEVE (Snowflakes)

3 Christmas Tree

Oculum Angelorum

Sotto l'albero (Under the tree)

CHRISTMAS DESIGN IS THE FIRST WIDESPREAD EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO CREATIVITY AND ARTISTIC INSTALLATIONS

TRIBUTE TO YAYOI KUSAMA.
INFINITE PRESENT

THE EVENT OFFERS CITIZENS AND TOURISTS A NEW ITINERARY
- FROM 5PM TO 00 AM -