James Bantone, a visionary in the world of contemporary art, is a name synonymous with innovation and creativity. During Milan Design Week 2024, the artist unveiled his exhibition „If you (see me, see me, see me)“ that was created in collaboration with UGG.
UGG presents its first exhibition with artist James Bantone
vor 7 months
Courtesy of UGG
Courtesy of UGG
While Paris is the capital of fashion, Milan undoubtedly is the centre of design and interior. For annual Milan Design Week the city transforms into a vibrant hub of exhibitions, installations, and events, offering visitors a glimpse into the future of design. One of the highlights of the recent edition was the exhibition „If you (see me, see me, see me)“ by Italian born artist James Bantone.
Bantone was invited by UGG to show his works during Milan Design week – the legendary shoe brand’s first exhibition. The artist who works across sculpture, photography and video transformed Spazio Maiocchi, a cultural hub located in a former industrial building in central Milan, into a walkable artwork.
Courtesy of UGG
Highlight of Milan Design Week: UGG x James Bantone
By deconstructing and distorting concepts of indoor and outdoor, the installation achieved a „mise en abyme,“ a visual motif that embeds copies of the original within itself, creating an endless loop of discovery and introspection.
Upon entering the exhibition space, visitors encountered sculptures reminiscent of urban advertising structures commonly found on city streets. These sculptures, dubbed „street advertisement ghosts“, showcased some of Bantone’s visual creations for UGG, originally displayed on a massive billboard in Milan’s Porta Venezia area.
Courtesy of UGG
Courtesy of UGG
UGG x James Bantone’s installation invited viewers to reflect on the literal sense of self-reflection and the modern-day blur between reality and illusion. Continuously drawing one’s gaze in and out of the depicted scene, the installation captivated with its dynamic interplay of perception and reality.
While navigating the poetics of anonymity and shifting perspectives, Bantone reimagined UGG’s iconic coziness into an art form, presenting installations that invited touch, interaction, and a rethinking of softness in our lives and spaces.
