Take It or Leave It: Paola Navone hosts a lottery of her souvenirs in Milan

Antique metal spoons from India, rustic earthenware from Africa, and fine porcelain from Germany: a plethora of such astonishing objects will be well within reach, and all one has to do is answer a simple question: do they take it or leave it? Such is the concept of Italian architect and designer Paola Navone’s exciting new exhibition, curated by Daniel Rozensztroch, the former artistic director of the Paris concept store Merci.

The streets of Milan, bustling with a creative vigour and awash with torrents of innovation, resound with the unfolding Milan Design Week 2023. As the art and design community rushes towards this pulsating centre, distant spectators of the design festival are eagle eyeing the compelling lineups that are animating the Milanese districts. Amidst the whirlwind, Navone’s OTTO Studio in Via Tortona is hosting a collaboration with New York–based media company The Slowdown. Befittingly titled Take It or Leave It, the exhibition is a cumulation of eclectic objects collected or designed by Navone over the course of time. Hundreds of these souvenirs are given away through a free, by-reservation, lottery that runs from April 17 to 21, 2023. “So why do I want to do this? To be able to continue this crazy activity of acquiring things,” says Navone. “At a certain point, you are somehow surrounded by thousands of elements, thousands of objects, thousands of colours, thousands of samples; I wanted to be free to bring in new things and to make more space to have them,” the Italian designer adds.

The format of the exhibition is as unique as the assortment it showcases. During the lottery’s drawing times, reservation holders will enter the space and have a number pulled. Following that, they will be ushered into the exhibition space to find the corresponding numbered object. Upon identifying the object, they will be faced with the imminent choice: take it or leave it. Everyone partaking in this exercise will be photographed with the object they take—or empty-handed if they decide to leave the object behind—and will be briefly interviewed about why they took or left the object. “When Paola approached me with the radical idea to create an exhibition to give away objects from her collection, there was absolutely no way I could say no,” says Spencer Bailey, editor-in-chief of The Slowdown. “I have always been in awe of her rare ability to source things from around the world and create something magical when they are all brought together,” he adds.

In a conversation with STIR, Navone weaves a tale of her adventurous attitude, wandering eye, whimsical interiors and furniture designs—offering a glimpse of the ethos that buttresses the show.

STIR: The exhibition Take it or Leave it speaks of your passion for collecting objects and provides a glimpse into your repository of antiquities. Did you always have a knack for accumulating objects that attract you?

Paola Navone: I have an innate attitude for looking at my surroundings to find something that catches my eye. It is something that is constantly happening 24/7. I like to discover things everywhere, from antiques fairs and flea markets, to manufacturing companies and craft workshops, or even the supermarket around the corner. If I find something of interest, I like to bring it with me.

STIR: What inspired you to present your personal collections in an exhibition format?

Navone: I found myself surrounded by thousands of objects. Souvenirs, objet trouvé, prototypes, second-hand objects, collectibles, and I said to myself, 'I need to make space to bring in new things, I need to give away all these things and give them a new life.' I later spoke with Bailey, co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Slowdown, who has been a friend for many years, about my idea. Through this discussion, he proposed the idea of a lottery, which I thought was a joyful way to pass an item on and give it a new lease of life in a fun way.

STIR: The assortment will feature antique metal spoons collected in India, rare Alessi prototypes, and fine German porcelain. Is there a theme that ties the curated objects together?

Navone: It is an eclectic and curious mix of objects that I have accumulated over time, which all belong to my aesthetic vocabulary.

STIR: How is your design practice influenced by the places you visit and the souvenirs you collect? Is there an evident reflection?

Navone: Everything that catches my eye, whether that be objects, decorative details, materials, or colours, it all influences my design practice. Some of these objects come home with me, others I keep a note of, and when needed they spontaneously spring to mind for a project we are working on. In fact, this is how the creative process normally tends to happen, thanks to the things I have collected, both physically and mentally.

STIR: You have sourced objects from across the globe; what attracts you to a piece? What makes you want to add it to your collection?

Navone: There are no fixed guidelines or rules about why I select something, it's a matter of instinct. It’s not about the value or whether it comes from near or far. Many times I am attracted to objects with a craftsmanship story, things with imperfections, other times I just like the colour or the material.

STIR: The show also aims to talk about upcycling and reuse. How do you aspire to convey this to the visitors?

Navone: In a very simple way: by physically putting the items in the visitors' hands, so that each object can have a second or third chance at life, which is certainly a lot better than being thrown away or stocked in a closet.

STIR: You mentioned that you “wanted to be free to bring in new things,” what does freedom mean to you?

Navone: Well, in this case, freedom is to have more empty space available where I can add new collections of objects and things.

STIR: You have conceived the exhibition alongside The Slowdown. What was the collaborative experience like?

Navone: I have known Bailey for a long time. We share a special passion for travel and adventurous projects and the way we look at what is happening around us. And this project is definitely an example of this approach. When I proposed the idea to Spencer, he could not turn it down!

STIR: The exhibition will allow visitors to acquire items—or not—on the basis of a lottery. What was the thought behind this concept?

Navone: The idea was that all these objects could be passed on from one hand to another with a bit of a thrill. If I had simply displayed the items and given them away, they would have disappeared immediately.

STIR: What is NEXT in store for you?

Navone: I will likely discover this during my next trip, or perhaps tomorrow, who knows!

Take It or Leave It marks the launch of The Slowdown’s new digital membership, which includes exclusive access to a slate of newsletters and accompanying paywalled stories. At the Take It or Leave It coffee bar, in partnership with Italian coffee company illycaffé, visitors get the opportunity to indulge in an Italian espresso while signing up for The Slowdown’s free weekly Flagship newsletter. Stretching beyond a provocative exercise, Take It or Leave It delineates an effort towards upcycling and reuse, rooted in a climate-forward manifesto. The exhibition nudges the viewers to question: rather than relying on virgin materials and energy-intensive processes, why not honour the things we already have, and give them a new life?

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.