Cos teams up with Phillip K. Smith III for Salone Del Mobile 2018

London - London-based design label Cos has teamed up with American artist Phillip K. Smith III for its seventh consecutive installation at the Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week. The move marks Cos first collaboration with Smith, who is set to present a large-scale sculptural installation.

“My work is created in direct response to the surrounding environment, becoming a canvas that interacts with both the urban and natural landscape,” said Phillip K. Smith III on the installation. “I’m thrilled to partner with Cos to create this unique sculptural experience which will reframe the historic space.”

The installation is said to have been inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture, the Milanese sky and the simplicity of Cos design aesthetic. Smith III will create the site-specific outdoor sculpture in the 16th-century courtyard and garden of Palazzo Isimbardi, which has been designed to offer an individual experience to each visitor, through its interaction with light and time.

“At Cos, we have been inspired by the way Phillip K. Smith III’s installations interact with their natural surroundings allowing us to experience spaces in new ways, whether in deserts or on beaches, and are eager to see how his work responds to the environment of Milan,” said Karin Gustafsson, Creative Director of Cos in a statement. “It is from these experiences of art, which reshape the way we see the world around us, that we derive so much of our inspiration at Cos.”

The installation will be open to the public from April 17 to 22 at the Palazzo Isimbardi, Corso Monforte 35 in Milan. Cos has presented unique and innovative collaborations with artists, designers and architects in Milan during Salone del Mobile since 2012. Past collaborators include Gary Card, Bonsoir Paris, Nendo, Snarkitecture, and Sou Fujimoto.

Photo: Courtesy of Cos