NEWS
FABRICA30 REUNION FESTIVAL
The research center celebrates its first 30 years
On the occasion of the 30 years since its foundation, the FABRICA research center has organized FABRICA30 Reunion Festival, a celebratory event that was held on Saturday 6 July 2024 in Catena di Villorba, in the historic Fabrica headquarters, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The festival offered a wide range of activities, including exhibitions, concerts, DJ sets, conferences, workshops, performances and screenings with the participation of over 100 former "makers" who have contributed to the center's rich history. Among the protagonists stand-out notable figures were designer Jaime Hayon, photographers Pieter Hugo and Laia Abril, musician Joy Frempong and artist Nico Vascellari. The conferences showcased the work of these alumni, offering new perspectives on design, art and gastronomy, as well as exploring themes such as the history of misogyny and the balance between beauty and asymmetry. The festival's musical programming included performances by former residents, reflecting the diversity of talent born in the creative context of Fabrica. Among the performances, some stand-out shows were the intercultural East and West by Elana Sasson, the hypnotic guitar of Ava Rasti, the electronic sounds of Uy Duc Tran and the performance by Nico Vascellari with Carlos Casas. The evening ended with the duo OY, followed by the master of Italo-disco Bottin and the Berlin techno DJ Joseph Paul. The final exhibition of the Spring Summer 2024 residency semester, dedicated to the theme “Kinship”, transformed Ando's architecture into a shared and open space. The event included pre-booked workshops, including an introduction to photography for children, a furniture design workshop and a design thinking masterclass. The Fabrica Future Sessions offered a platform for creatives of all generations to present new projects and ideas. Founded in 1994 by Luciano Benetton and Oliviero Toscani, Fabrica continues to be a beacon of artistic innovation, offering free six-month residencies to young creatives under 25 from all over the world, keeping alive the tradition of learning by doing and promoting contamination between different artistic disciplines.
