Design, Theater of Excellence

 

"Design, Theater of Excellence" is the exhibition project presented by Interni Magazine at the headquarters of ITA – Italian Trade Agency in New York, on 67th Street. Running from May 12 to July 15, 2026, the exhibition is part of "Italy on Madison" — now in its fourth edition — and coincides with NYCxDESIGN (May 15–21, 2026), the initiative that transforms one of the world's most iconic districts into a widespread showcase of Italian excellence across fashion, design, beauty, food, and wine.

Curated under the creative direction of OTTO Studio — Paola Navone and Cristina Pettenuzzo — the installation pays tribute to the tradition of Italian theater. A grand curtain welcomes visitors, marking the beginning of an immersive journey through scenographic sets inspired by the visual codes of theater and photography. Each scene interprets an iconic place in Italy — from Milan and Rome to Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Dolomites, then on to Venice, Turin, Florence, Rimini, and Capri — as stages of a contemporary Grand Tour, evoking the charm of memory and the expressive power of an entirely Italian savoir-faire.

"Design, Theater of Excellence is an immersive installation event, a showcase that embraces design in its broadest sense: it is not only about furniture or food design, but more generally about the culture of design itself," says Gilda Bojardi, Editor-in-Chief of INTERNI Magazine. The initiative demonstrates, in the words of Erica di Giovancarlo, Commissioner in New York and Executive Director for the ITA Offices in the United States, that "Made in Italy knows how to work as a system: when institutions collaborate with the brightest minds in the sector, the result is a cultural — as well as commercial — initiative with global impact."

Italian manufacturing excellence and industrial design are interpreted through more than 180 pieces from 50 Italian furniture brands, among them Gervasoni, whose furnishings enter the narrative with natural elegance, intertwining craftsmanship, materiality, and expressive lightness.