URNE.RIP embodies the aesthetics of death with cinerary urns at Alcova

“To be human means above all to bury,” writes R.P.Harrison, in his book, ‘The dominion of the death’. This project by Urne.rip was conceived by ex-gallerist Vittorio Dapelo and project producer Laura Garbarino, along the lines of bringing the concept of funerary art to the forefront. They do so by curating artisanal cinerary urns that will adorn the Alcova spaces during the upcoming Milan Design Week 2022 .

Be it the elaborate gilded memorabilia buried alongside the Egyptian pharaohs or the geometric Greek vases evocative of the deceased in Athens, funerary art objects have always been significant commemoratives of death globally. However, over the last few years, lesser importance has been given to the aesthetics of death. Perhaps this is a response to the practical needs of individuals to reminisce in a unique and personal way about the deceased or it may just be the blandness of adapting memories to forms and ways. Urne.rip works towards questioning such notions and enables the contemporary world in embracing designs and aesthetics for death.

For their first release, the Italian brand aligns forces with select artists such as Stefania Carlotti, Haris Epaminonda, Diego Perrone and Andrea Sala, Bojan Sarcevic and Bill Woodrow to present the contemporary urns. They set a rather unique example of creating memoirs for the dead as a way of reminiscing the people who were lost over time. The display is firmly supported by another element of the exhibition- the ‘C_Zero’ concrete shelves designed by the architect Luca Cipelletti and produced by the Giustini/Stagetti gallery.

The collection is produced with a variety of materials including marble, bronze, wood and ceramic, put together to create impressively designed urns. Marbles are designed by Diego Perrone and Andrea Sala – artists based in Milan at the Dalle Nogare Group in Verona and at the foundry Fusioni d'Arte 3v. The funerary slab of bronze has been carefully melted at the historic Swiss foundry in Sant Gallen, by Sarcevic. Whereas Stefania Carlotti’s urn has been created by the renowned ceramicists of the Gatti Ceramics in Faenza. Urne.rip even offers the opportunity for unique, personalised and site-specific projects, curated directly with the artists.

Urne.rip was found to meet the need for an aesthetic-minded production of cinerary urns, ones made in limited editions and designed by artists, architects and designers, thus aiming to reappraise the concept of loss and absence. Their urns will be on display from 5th June 2022 till 12th June 2022 at Alcova 2022, via Simone Saint Bon 1 in Milan.

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