Giopato & Coombes

In my pockets I hide secret things treasures get caught in them like in a net.
In my pockets there is a never lost thought
and grandma’s tissue which smells like green grass. With my pockets I measure time:
a light feather and a creaking leaf every day is a precious one
and I collect it just on the doorstep.

from “Il Cosario” by Alessia Napolitano

When we put our hands in our pockets finding a little forgotten thing inside, we are immediately transported into a journey of memories: a soft whisper from a loved one, that incredible smell of our favorite food, the warm embrace of a windy spring day, a pleasing melody we learned in our childhood. As the little things, the important ones, dance together between our fingers, we let our thoughts travel to other temporalities with a newfound smile.

This April 2023, Giopato&Coombes present 18 Pockets: an immersive exhibition offering a journey into 6 years of research. Inspired by the poem “Il Cosario” - which narrates how valued objects collected through the years are timeless emotional activators - the Italo-British designers duo’s own pocket of memories is envisioned as an immersive wunderkammer displayed in the Giopato&Coombes Gallery, where their iconic elements flow in the exhibition space. In this choral experiment of light, we recognize components from the previous collections - such as Maewha, Flauti, and Gem - in newfound charming combinations.

Trusting the process, the designers have been able to let their compositions morph into new and unique shapes through a system of weight and balance. The lighting elements composed of different glass technologies co-realized with Venetian artisans, and the latest innovative light engines are held together by a flexible transparent tube, all becoming co-agents of creation. Once again, creative imagination meets research excellence, championing the importance of experimentation for Giopato&Coombes.

As in children’s pockets, entering the Gallery we find ourselves immersed in an oneiric realm where everything is valued as a precious treasure, and we learn once again about the importance of holding into our dearest memories and dreams.

Opening Day: April 17, 2023
Press Preview: April 17, 2023 - from 11am to 5pm

Exhibition opens to public:
April 17 - 21, from 10am to 8pm April 22 - 23, from 10am to 6pm