City of Lights: An Inspirational Journey Through the World of Light

"City of Lights" edition is now available in all leading national and international bookstores, presenting one of the most important cultural events dedicated to the world of light and illumination...

"City of Lights" is a book that documents the new format of Salone del Mobile.Milano, first presented at the Euroluce exhibition in 2023: a multifaceted, multidisciplinary palimpsest focused on exhibition programs and events dedicated to light.

This 272-page book - published by Corraini with graphic design by Leftloft - is rich in iconographic material illustrating the creative and design process through sketches, photographs, plans, and maps of pavilions and exhibition spaces, representing an invaluable document about the "City of Lights" cultural activities program, a collective project that involved artists and curators of different styles, generations, and backgrounds, under the leadership of Beppe Finesi.

The book follows the curated exhibitions (Dawns. The Lights of Tomorrow; Constellations; Fiat Bulb. The Edison Syndrome; Hélène Binet. Nature, Time and Architecture; Interior Night. Bright Artifices; Sate…Light. 1998-2022 SaloneSatellite Young Designers; Scintille. Lemmary of Bright Words) along with Maurizio Nanucci's installation "You Can Imagine the Opposite," as well as different spaces designed by the Formafantasma studio, which were also responsible for the large Aurore arena, a space for meditation, as well as the venue for conversations led by some of the most prominent representatives of lighting design.

"Revolutionary Thinking. Euroluce 2023 in a nutshell. The 31st lighting biennial was driven by the urgent need for change in the fair system, putting people at the center of the fair experience. An ambitious project informed by listening and co-design, with numerous round tables involving sector professionals and companies, thanks to collaboration with Assoluce under the presidency of Carlo Urbinati," said Maria Porro, president of Salone del Mobile.Milano.

The result was an event that provided maximum visibility to exhibitors and facilitated orientation for visitors. Public spaces, each designed by a different architect, dedicated to meetings, culture, and art, were integrated into this new plan. Today, light encompasses more than just objects or lamps; it incorporates technology, architecture, interaction, sustainability, new materials, and indeed, a true holistic reflection on human well-being.

"The City of Lights" cultural activities program, encompassing both artificial and natural light, brought together a multitude of identities and content. Orchestrated by scientific curator and artistic director Beppe Finesi, this collective project involved artists and curators representing a wide range of stylistic choices, generations, and backgrounds. "Light in the city" was not only a concept and thematic thread that defined the quantity and quality of the products on display but also highlighted the power of imagination and tangible visions that characterize its interdisciplinary cultural content. Salone del Mobile.Milano has always believed in the strength of different visions for added value.

This book highlights the exhibitions, Maurizio's installation, seven architectural and exhibition interludes by the Formafantasma studio, and the grand Aurore arena, a place for meditation and a stage for conversations led by some of the most prominent voices in lighting design. A specialized bookstore comprehensively exploring the theme of light, along with a bistro and restaurant designed by Piero Lissoni, were integral parts of an extensive curatorial and exhibition project designed to transform this "city of light" into a place of harmony, combining technology and poetry, encouraging discovery and, beyond mere visibility, enabling a deeper understanding of the contemporary world of light.

"The concluding part of this structured palimpsest experience of exhibitions and events like the City of Lights, built on the plurality and multidisciplinarity of content, could not have emerged in any other form than an editorial project for publication, allowing the preservation of content over time, and using extensive photographic reporting to summarize everything that was presented during the six days of Euroluce 2023, to preserve a precise memory of it and continue the storytelling experience through the agile medium of the book, designed by Leftloft in an efficient and contemporary language, and published by Corraini, an exceptional publisher that, in 40 years of publishing, constantly surprises us with its thoroughness and originality," explained curator Beppe Finesi.