In September 2021, on the occasion of the Milan Design Week, a numbered collection of candle holders were showcased in an exhibition curated by Federica Sala, at Offstage, piazza Luigi Vittorio Bertarelli, 4. The pieces are conceived by a selection of internationally acclaimed designers: Michele De Lucchi, Jaime Hayon, Philippe Malouin, Alberto & Francesco Meda, Luca Nichetto, Matteo Thun, Patricia Urquiola, Marcel Wanders studio, Panter & Tourron and Federica Biasi (who is also art director of Mingardo and the project).
The exhibition design is entrusted to the architectural firm Offstage. After the exhibition, the candleholders were auctioned by Cristiano De Lorenzo at Christie’s. The proceeds were entirely donated to the Mario Negri Pharmacological Research Institute IRCCS, concretely implementing the scientific research against cancer.

The idea was envisioned by Daniele Mingardo, head of the homonymous metal carpentry, following a personal experience: “In 2013, my mother left us because of pancreatic cancer. She used to work here at the workshop, alongside my father and me. It was a few years ago, and now I finally have the chance to do something meaningful for someone, just as I would have appreciated if this had happened to my mother. And I am willing to make a concrete gesture by doing what I do best: being a blacksmith.”

How is it possible to contribute to the fight against cancer in a tangible way, when your area of expertise does not involve scientific skills? The answer to this question is in the name of the project itself: “A flame for research”. This fundraiser was conceived as a flame to fuel the research fire and a symbol of hope.

“A collective project, immediately and enthusiastically embraced by everyone, which demonstrates how we can concretely be part of that committed, civil society that we need today. Ten beautifully crafted candleholders, to support the research of the Mario Negri Pharmacological Research Institute IRCCS.

Federica Biasi: #FLFB – RUE

The essential, elegant and linear sign of the Milanese designer emerges in this unconventional candleholder. A suspended poetic sculpture that enhances the metalworking. A spark plug cylinder connects two curved arches held in tension by a cable with a weight that is attached to each other and connected to the ground. Like a path of light, Rue evokes the suspension between life and death. A topic full of meaning that Federica Biasi tackles by expressing her vision of hope, beauty and existence in an object that pushes the viewer to think about the ephemeral value of life.