Lisa Forte

MEET THE MAKER

Graduated in Industrial Design, I am currently completing the Master’s Degree in Design (Unifi). The training course allowed me to acquire skills in the field of 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙚: by defining product / communication / service strategies, dealing with the dynamics of innovation and research guided by design, with creativity and 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖̀ 𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖. All this obviously also in close relation to the economic, social and productive system of reference, through the choice of suitable methodologies, understanding and analyzing the needs of the recipients of the project itself (target audience). The background I have behind me therefore concerns the design of the entire “product / service system”: from the conception and executive design (concept through 2D and 3D drawing, rendering through specific software, research and choice of materials, engineering through CAD) up to its communication (narrative, graphic and web design). All this guided by a personal sensitivity and interest towards both 𝙨𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙚 and 𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙚 that these design choices can have in all the various phases (production and / or sale), trying to operate in a perspective that is as sustainable as possible. At the same time, there is also a strong belief that the contamination of skills, and collaboration with other professionals (and therefore multidisciplinarity) are fertile ground both for greater professional growth and for the achievement of more decisive and creative design solutions.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PART IN iATELIER ONLINE PROGRAMME?

I would have a strong interest in taking part in the iAtelier Online program, as I firmly believe that the exchange, collaboration and sharing of one’s skills (and therefore multidisciplinarity) are fertile ground for expanding the horizons of creativity, knowledge of new technologies, tools and for experimentation in general. In addition, I have already had the opportunity to do research and work on the same issue, so this would be an opportunity to further deepen this context of exchange between the world of design, craftsmanship and digital. iAtelier Online would therefore represent for me a great opportunity for mutual exchange and therefore also an opportunity for professional growth. In particular, being able to have direct experience and collaborate with a craftsman would allow me to “touch” a reality that would not be experienced otherwise. Furthermore, I would like to further investigate the issue of comparison between craftsmanship and digital technologies, a topic on which I intend to develop my Master’s degree thesis.

It is a world that somehow has points of contact with design, so I expect a collaborative relationship full of 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙨𝙢𝙤 and a stimulus for the 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙖̀ of both. From the point of view of artisanal know-how, I certainly expect an enrichment in terms of awareness of production processes. Having the opportunity to collaborate with an expert craftsman in a specific sector would be a unique opportunity.

WHAT IS YOUR FEEDBACK?

What interested me about the iAtelier Online program was, first of all, the possibility of being able to carry out a “concrete” collaboration in the field with another professional figure, a craftsman, who has a background different from mine. The interesting thing was the naturalness in the comparison and exchange of their skills, this generated a project climate of mutual enrichment.

The Expert Talks were sources of inspiration and more: an opportunity to be able to further “network”. They allowed me to meet new realities and professionals from different sectors. Among these, for example, the meeting with Andrea Salvatori, designer and ceramist, spokesperson and exemplification of the fact that digital technologies can become a real “creative means” and that the interaction between craftsman / designer and machine can bring be fluid.

iAtelier Online has given me the opportunity to practice my skills of interaction and reciprocal exchange with other professionals. As well as an opportunity to have concretely experimented with the inclusion of digital technologies in handcrafted artifacts.

5 things that I’ll bring with me from this experience:

• The desire to once again experience collaboration with artisanal-artistic realities
• Willingness to want to deepen and learn more about the world of ceramics
• Concrete experience of collaboration
• A personal project concretely realized
• I will also bring with me the experience of having collaborated with the ceramist Franco Cicerchia, with whom, I hope, in the future, further projects may be born.

FINAL PROJECT FOR iATELIER ONLINE

Click here to discover the project by ExMateria – Etrusca

The project is realized with the artisan Franco Cicerchia and the designer Giulia Giovannini.