Salone Satellite will put the spotight on Latin America and Africa

A wider view of the Salone Satellite, taking place this year from April 17- 22.

In the design world, April signals the start of the Salone del Mobile, the world-renowned, week-long furniture fair that takes hold of Milan each year and brings over 300,000 visitors to the Italian city.

Providing emerging designers with their own designated space within the fair, the 2018 Salone Satellite will display the work of 36 rising talents from Latin America and Africa and another 600 international talents.

Known as the masters of reinvention and for their work in the social rehabilitation of marginalized populations, the Brazilian Campana brothers have been tasked with curating the Latin America portion of the exhibit, with talents David and Julián del Valle debuting as the fair’s Colombian representatives.

Del Valle's Mortar & Pestle, inspired by the smooth, rounded edges of the ancient Quimbaya relic, the poporo, a vessel attributed with social status and mystical powers.

Meanwhile, the Africa exhibit will be curated by Franco-Moroccan designer Hicham Lahlou, founder of Africa Design Award & Days, committed to promoting the next generation of African creatives.

The aim of the Satellite is to showcase works that explore the relationship between heritage and contemporary culture, with projects that combine traditional craftsmanship and technology.

The Salone Satellite continues to represent a sort of rite of passage for young designers, and this year looks to be no different, with the spotlight placed on two regions that have yet to show the industry’s most important design week everything they have to offer. salonemilano.it/en