About the project

When:
2023
What:
Concept Design
Project Management

Unfolding Partenope, a playful and interactive installation that honors the city and the mythological figure of Partenope. The event, curated by Domitilla Dardi and Emilia Petruccelli, aims to support and promote the new generation of designers and takes place for the first time in the unique setting of the Archivio di Stato of Naples, from October 6th to 8th, 2023. The Cortile dei Marmi comes to life with the installation Unfolding Partenope, designed by Thirtyone Design + Management with the aim of engaging the visitor in a journey of the depths of the sea, paying tribute to the figure of Partenope, the mermaid of Greek mythology and symbol of the city of Naples. Organic forms with iridescent and shifting colors narrate an unexpected world, that of Partenope, with which to interact, creating ever-new configurations. The oversized elements that compose this fantastic landscape are designed to adapt to the different physicalities of visitors – adults and children – with a perspective of inclusivity and intergenerational interactivity. The result is a contemporary playground composed of self-supporting panels connected to each other, allowing the direct interaction of the user through the creation of constantly different paths. The possibility of disassembling the work recalls the gentle gesture of flipping through the pages of ancient books and codes preserved within the Archivio di Stato, paying tribute to the act of delving into history and culture through immersion in a fantastic underwater world.
The engineering and production of the artwork were entrusted to New Crazy Colors, a company specialized in the realization of cross-sector projects in retail, visual merchandising, and hospitality that places particular emphasis on material selection, with a view to durability and formal flexibility. Unfolding Partenope thus stands as an inclusive installation, allowing for multi-level enjoyment, offering not only a playful experience but also inviting the audience to reflect more deeply on the controversial figure of the mermaid, never entirely good nor entirely dangerous, and on the fairy creatures that are part of our shared imagination and that of Naples, thus promoting a connection between the city’s history and heritage.

Photo credit: Gaetano Del Mauro