Once an unmissable stop on my Milan itinerary, I haven’t attended Rossana Orlandi’s famed gallery for the past two years as I’ve found her shows were lacking the energy and curatorial rigour she was renowned for. So much of one’s Milan experience depends on how frequently we visit the same venues and shows and how much variety we inject into our week. It felt good to return to Rossana’s magical courtyard and revisit the rooms of the old factory she converted into her gallery many years ago. 

In fact, one of my favourite Milan moments this year came courtesy of the Korean Craft & Design Foundation, which presented ‘Thoughts on Thickness’ – a contemplative project offering deep immersion inside Korea's artistic and cultural identity. Curated by Choi Jooyeon, this exquisite show was divided into three distinct parts, blurring the edges between art, craft, and design.

Artists and designers highlighted their reverence for nature, capturing the charm of ordinary materials that focused on four key concepts – point of view, attitude, curiosity and humanity – while setting limits on non-essential elements that are merely ornamental. In the age where we find ourselves saturated in beautiful images everywhere we look, it’s evident how much attention we pay to the superficial. Thoughts on Thickness did a remarkable job of slowing things down and highlighting a different way of thinking, restoring the importance of materials and crafts to represent values beyond individual objects.

Other highlights included works by Milan Pekař, Piet Hein Eek, Alessandro Ciffo and Draga & Aurel’s beautiful installation in a dedicated space.