A recce through Richard Yasmine’s 5VIE exposition 'Silent Hollows’

The human mind is a chasm, a hollow, that juts out the most unexpected thoughts and strange ideas. They are palaces that house the most novel servings—of fantasies, desires, hopes, and visions. Within this space, aspirations and impulses are realities that can grow and become, sans constraints. It is certainly for the same reason that tangible manifestations of conceptual ideas seldom manage to make their makers content. While we may never completely replicate the fantastical visions we behold in our minds, glimpses of their peculiar nature—either in physical form or in virtual simulations—are important exercises in creativity and idea transmission. One such showcase—to be presented at Milan Design Week 2023, from April 17 to 23, 2023—that brings a creative’s vision to life is Silent Hollows, by Lebanese designer Richard Yasmine.

The installation, made up of functional objects, is produced by 5VIE, in collaboration with Irrationaltheory, Innereo srl, and IGS srls. Yasmine’s physical pieces will sit in conjunction with #mirrors, an NFT collection created by artist and CEO of AppTripper and Innereo, Sebastiano Deva. Comprising organically shaped mirrors of different sizes, as well as tables and wall-mounted lights, Yasmine’s pieces metaphorise the innate dispositions of nature, the perturbations apparent in the environment from time to time and their impact on human emotions. Each piece in the collection is made using foam, fibreglass, polyurethane and tinted mirrors, with the employment of 3D printing and handcrafting techniques. At the design fair in Milan, Italy, visitors will be welcomed to glance at the mirrors, to experience and acknowledge the distinct emotions one experiences, which are akin to the disturbances found in nature.

The showcase of Yasmine’s physical creations will be further complemented by Sebastiano Deva’s #mirrors, a collection of NFTs that communicate the range of human emotions via customised synaesthesia that is created using the DeepSoundMe technology, which converts a person’s biometric data to sound. The showcase, hence, will serve as an immersive experience, employing all the major senses.

Ahead of the showcase in the 5VIE district at Milan Design Week, we sat down with the interior architect and product designer from Beirut, Lebanon, over a video call, to talk about the inspiration behind Silent Hollows, his creative style and work process, future plans, and more.

Almas Sadique: Why the name Silent Hollows?

Richard Yasmine: The name Silent Hollows comes from nature. Nature can sometimes be very silent and at other times, very wild, with earthquakes and volcanoes. These perturbations are, however, rare, and nature, for the most part, is soft and calm. Hence, the name Silent Hollows describes the silent, empty spaces in nature that have something going on with them at a deeper level. This deep silence can sometimes be frustrating. The first name that I wanted to give to this collection was not Silent Hollows. It was ‘Hollow Hearts.' However, 5vie asked me to make it more emotional and less dramatic. I, then, came up with two names, Silent Hollows and ‘In Too Deep.' I wanted to give a soul to the mirror by reflecting our faces on it, and hence the name Silent Hollows was finalised.

Almas: What is the thought behind Silent Hollows and what does it convey?

Richard: Each year we decide to work on a certain subject, sometimes it highlights certain subjects in society, sometimes it is an awareness of something that is happening around us. This project, just like my project from last year, Woven Whispers, is produced by 5vie Milano. Silent Hollows is an installation. Usually, I work more on design pieces and installations, but Silent Hollows is a collection of functional design pieces that can be configured into an installation.

Silent Hollows is meant to be a combination of the physical and virtual. I am working on the physical installation and Sebastiano Deva is working on the virtual installation. When people enter the exhibition room, they can experience the physical installation and immersive VR in the same space. A surreal scenery will be created within the booth, and visitors will be welcomed to experience the showcase with all their senses. The organisers wanted a coming together of the East and West. Sebastiano is Italian, I am Lebanese. The showcase is also a combination of physical and virtual, reality and surreality.

Sebastiano’s #mirrors NFT, however, have no relation to Silent Hollows. I only shared the mood board regarding what I see in my mind for glaciers, volcanoes, lakes, deserts and nature. Now, like a viewer of Milan Design Week, I, too, will witness his work for the first time. Both our designs are different kinds of mirrors. However, the combination of Silent Hollows with #mirrors gives more credibility to the idea of mirrors because I am using physical mirrors and he is using virtual mirrors. In the installation, you will only see my physical objects. People will see my objects in reality and his in virtuality.

At the same time, the project is a tribute to Mother Nature. We tried to stimulate the curvy crust of the earth and reproduce the geological effect of the earth to make it look like mountains and volcanoes. Inside these mountains and volcanoes, we see these hollows that are mirrors. The main function of these objects is as wall-mounted mirrors, but at the same time, one can use them as tables. We also have wall-mounted lighting fixtures. The mirrors reflect the human chaos and emotions happening inside us. Since we are a part of the earth, nature indirectly has an impact on the human body. It is the emotions felt as a result of this that are projected on the mirror. When we are anxious or mad, we are more like volcanoes, when we are calm and in a good mood, we resemble the mirage in the desert. Different environments are also evocative of different feelings and emotions, just like humans. A metaphorical alchemy between nature and humans divulges different emotions—between calmness and anxiety, motionless and activity, sad and happy.

Almas: Whether we look at last year’s showcase, Woven Whispers, or your upcoming installation Silent Hollows, how do you manage to retain the authenticity of traditional techniques while juxtaposing them against technological innovations?

Richard: The virtual creations and physical pieces are both in our minds as ideas. Using the know-how of our ancestors, and their knowledge of artisanal techniques and craftsmanship, we elaborate it and make it more contemporary. Artificial Intelligence, too, is a medium, that we use to visualise an idea in our heads. Why not mix tradition with technology? I don't think we are losing the value of authenticity, instead, we are redefining it, taking our history to the future.

Even in Silent Hollows, you can see the touch of the artisan; you can see that he is recreating nature with his own hands, and when Sebastiano reflects his virtual work on these items, it will give them another value, a different one. It is important to bring new technology to the public, too, so that they are aware of the ever-changing times. Generating physical and real entities doesn't derive from emptiness. Things that we think are immaterial, such as consciousness, imagination, the soul, and the mind, are also material phenomena classified as immaterial because we don't know their true nature yet. Virtuality being deemed non-existent, in my opinion, is a flawed theory. When we explain a virtual concept, it means that it exists somewhere in the world. I confirm that creativity originates from immateriality, which is translated into physicality via handcrafting and mechanical means. Creativity always originates from the virtual and imagination, and then we try to translate it, so there is nothing virtual in life because everything virtual exists somewhere.

Almas: What was the inceptive thought that triggered your ideation, and how different is it from your final designs?

Richard: I never elaborate on an idea, because when I elaborate on an idea, I lose it. What I usually do, when I think of something—I sketch it directly in my sketchbook. My ideas come up at all times, sometimes when I am watching television or drinking coffee, I have an idea and I put it down in my sketchbook for future reference. It is the first idea and first lines that I translate into the physical object. I also sketch out sceneries and settings for these designs, which I later translate into renders. We have done surrealistic renders of Silent Hollows since we wanted to give them a dreamy look, inspired by artificial intelligence, but not made using AI. We made it on 3ds Max. So, my first sketch is the main collection. If I happen to elaborate on my first sketch with a second sketch, it means that I am not sure about the idea. So, I play around until I have a final sketch, which I then recreate on AutoCAD, 3ds Max and Photoshop, with proper dimensions.

Almas: Against the proclamation of adhering to sustainable practices by Salone del Mobile.Milano, we are curious to know about the life cycle of installations presented at the fair. What do you intend to do with your showcases after the fair is over? Are they disassembled and reused, recycled, or discarded?

Richard: I do believe in recycling and using leftover materials for my next projects. I have previous work where I used leftover marble, brass, and leather. I aim to utilise sustainable practices in my work while also promoting them. So, while this is an installation, the individual pieces are also usable. The pieces from Silent Hollows can be sold as mirrors and tables. For Milan Design Week, they will be displayed in a certain way, in order for them to appear like installations. However, after the design event, the individual pieces can be used as furniture and will be put on sale. All the materials used in the installation, for example, black sand and black curtains, will be reused in future showcases. It is our responsibility as designers to promote sustainability, knowing that someday, we will not have marble or wool, we will lose those materials. It is very important to save as much as possible. Therefore, everything will be used after disassembly.

Almas: How has your experience as an interior designer helped with designing an experiential space for the fair?

Richard: For me, interior design is different from design. When we design interiors, we try to put ourselves in the mind of the client or the person who is going to use the space. We try to reflect their needs and desires in the interior because, after all, it is their own space. On the other hand, my design installation is like my baby. If people like it, they will like it as it is.

When we work with an organisation, such as 5vie, we communicate our ideas regarding the plan of the installation, the material, and other aspects. While inputs by organisers are taken into consideration, the design is finalised only after the designer is satisfied. Interactions with people in the field help elevate the work, and make it better. I love the interaction of the public with the design pieces. I also like to work with artisans, Lebanese artists and promote their work in my designs. I like to take their opinions on materials. Sometimes, it can be challenging to do this, but taking their opinion into consideration is important, for designers, artisans, organisations and design in general.

Also, I’m not only an architect and designer, but I’m also now finalising my master's in art criticism and curation. This will give me more credibility as a designer, because, usually, I curate my shows and installations, and I write the concept for my designs.

Almas: Name some prime influences in your work.

Richard: The main inspiration is my city, Beirut. I am from Ashrafieh, which is the heart of Beirut. It is a muse for me. Although Beirut has been destroyed many times, it gets up again, surviving its scars. In 2020, we had the blast at the Port of Beirut, which affected so many. My home and studio, too, were affected. Many people died. Right now, we are in the middle of a huge economic crisis. The evaluation for the Lebanese Lira is the worst in the world. But, at the same time, the good thing about Beirut is that with all these drastic circumstances in the city, we manage to survive our scars. For me, this is inspiring. Despite so much wreckage, the people of Beirut love life, they are well-connected with each other. People here are very friendly and it is very easy to communicate with each other.

The human body is also my inspiration, as is the chaos inside the human body. Nature, too, is an inspiration. I love to take a walk in nature and explore, hike in the mountains, between trees and rocks, to see small mushrooms and flowers, it's inspiring because you feel a sense of calmness within nature and the ideas just flow in your mind.

Almas: What's NEXT for you, post Salone del Mobile?

Richard: I have a lot of ideas, a lot of sketches in my diary that can turn into projects. However, I focus on one collection at a time and then see what to do next. I don't like to work like a machine. I am also one of the designers selected to be at the Beirut Eras of Design, an exhibition at mudac, which talks about Lebanese designers in the past hundred years. They have selected ten designers, whose works have been compiled in a book produced by mudac in Switzerland. The exhibition opens on April 6 this year, so I will head there for a few days before travelling to Milan for the fair.

Richard Yasmine’s ‘Silent Hollows’ will remain on view from April 17 to 23, 2023 in the 5VIE design district during Milan Design Week 2023.

STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2023 showcases the best exhibitions, studios, designers, installations, brands, and special projects to look out for. Explore Euroluce 2023 and all the design districts—5Vie Art and Design, Brera Design District, Fuorisalone, Isola Design District, Tortona District, and Milano Design District—with us.