Alphabet, Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby
Triennale Milano, until September 6, 2026
From April 18 to September 6, 2026 Triennale Milano is presenting the exhibition Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet, curated by Marco Sammicheli, with exhibition design by Studio Mille.
The exhibition will occupy the Design Platform space, which, following the major architectural and functional renovation of the Palazzo dell'Arte, is situated in the large area overlooking the garden on the ground floor, that previously housed the Triennale café.
Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet is the largest monographic exhibition staged in an Italian museum dedicated to the London designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, and it explores three decades of activity in the field of design, from the first furnishing and product design projects to the large public commissions and the collaborations with Italian and international brands, tracing the evolution of the studio's work and its influence on the Italian and international design scene.
The title of the exhibition is inspired by the desire to consider the stylistic alphabet that has developed over the course of Edward Barber's and Jay Osgerby's careers, through certain fixed points, including their deliberate use of color and the use they make of technical curvatures and angle gradations: these elements explain the changing production of the studio which has, over time, increased the sophistication and technology of their projects.
Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet unfolds through a chronological plan organized in themed decades, from the mid-1990s up to 2022, and traces the evolution of the studio's design approach, linked both to meticulous expert craftsmanship and to experimentation. Particular attention is devoted to the relationships between manufacturers and Italian design brands, emphasizing how these collaborations have shaped both the practice and the continuing dialogue with the design culture.
A key focus of the exhibition is the relationship with the exhibition design concept created by Studio Mille, offering visitors the chance to experience a kind of theater set, formed by a set of steps that was historically used for the anatomical examination of bodies; in this case, the steps restore the idea of staging and attitude to the studio. The itinerary, divided into four plinths, takes shape inside a system of curtains: starting with a description of the London studio's design method, it defines four large periods of their work as though they are epochs, covering almost forty years of the studio's activity.
The exhibition is composed of a sequence of podiums, displaying objects that define the London studio's structural transformations and production. This area is preceded by a section of continuous shelving of prototypes, presenting an archive of models, mock-ups and unreleased products that offers a deeper insight into the design process and the studio's creative methodology. In addition, a chronological focus on the design sketches offers a complete view of the creative dialogue between Edward Barber, Jay Osgerby and companies on three continents.
Among the principal works on display are the London 2012 Olympic torch, commissioned by the London Organizing Committee of The Olympic & Paralympic Games, the Iris tables for Established & Sons, the Tab lamp for Flos, and other special and commissioned pieces.
The exhibition concludes with the staging of three exhibition events: the Ascent exhibition, which took place in 2011 at the Haunch of Venison Gallery in Salisbury; Signals, held in 2022 at the kreo gallery in Paris; and the exhibition dedicated to the Rivington collection for Mutina in 2023.
Information
Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet
April 18 – September 6, 2026
Curated by: Marco Sammicheli
Exhibition design: Studio Mille
Triennale Milano Opening Times
Tuesday – Sunday
10.30 – 20.00 (last admittance at 19.00)
Triennale Milano
Viale Alemagna 6
20121 Milan
© Image credits
Exhibition Views: Edward Barber | Jay Osgerby. Alphabet, Installation view Foto Matteo Pasin @ Triennale Milano
Book Cover: Signals, Galerie kreo, 2022, Signal R / © Alexandra de Cossette Courtesy Galerie kreo
Portrait: © Mark Cocksedge
