Collaborative processes are at the core of Italian design development – their structure and identity is defined by the relationship between the industry, craftsmanship, research centres and professional studios.

Beginning in the last century, the creation of large cruise ships is an early example of multidisciplinary collaboration between technicians, engineers, builders, industrialists, designers, artists, craftsmen and companies. These examples of floating hospitality and engineering excellence played a key role in the birth of Italian design, presenting it, along with Italian artistic and production culture, around the world.

This type of Italian design collaboration is now part of history. But, take it one step further and look at how these nomadic and temporary cities are decommissioned. The deconstruction of cruise ships often happens on the shores of countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan or India –  and they end their industrial cycle in the East. Here they get dismantled and turned into warehouses and resources for artefacts, such as materials destined to be put back on the market in new generative processes. In this way, an intercontinental bridge comes to life, an informal and necessary network, a collaboration that puts resources to use in a different context.

By adapting this concept to a room inside Somerset House, the exhibition will resemble a reconstruction of an insidious and disturbing interior, made up of works and objects that map out and represent this particular form of collaboration, expressing a variety of circular and unseen mechanisms. On display are works and site-specific installations by Liu Xiadong Philippe Tabet, Melania Toma, Davide Trabucco.