The Logic of Approximation, in Art and in Life

"We live in the midst of approximation, we might even say that, without approximation, our life would be impossible, and so would art", wrote Gillo Dorfles on occasion of the De Divina Proportione conference held at Triennale in 1951, with the participation of - among others - Le Corbusier, Giedion, Nervi, Rogers, Zevi and young designers Gregotti and Canella. What has changed since then about the theme Dorfles introduces - approximation - so central to the relation between design and artwork? Production methods, new materials, advanced technologies have changed the way we design the world. Since the 50's, Dorfles' research has focused on the relationship between the aesthetic dimension and the empirical existence of things. The exhibition is a journey inside approximation, on which artistic languages - art, architecture, cooking, dance, design, music, photography, etc. - are based. On show works by Basilico, Botta, Cage, Colin, Damiani, Devecchi, Duchamp, Ferrari, Filliou, Fiorucci, Gambardella, Iliprandi, Manzoni, Marchesi, Meda, Milani, Mulas, Origoni, Piano, Pomodoro, Santachiara, Studio Azzurro, Vautier; and 20 everyday objects, selected by Blumerandfriends, that are apparently simple - perhaps approximate - but essential to our lives: from the simple ruler to the pencil, from Post-It notes to the broom and the sickle. The logic of approximation, especially today, is fundamental to the evolution of everyday objects as well as new artistic languages.