THE AESTHETICS OF MISERY: AN INTERPRETATION AND COMPARATION IN CONTEMPORARY INTERIOR DESIGN

Abstract

This paper discusses symbolic interior design and contemporary which are relevant to the experimental work called Aesthetics of Misery presented at the Milan Furniture Fair in April 2015. The exhibition presented sixteen works by students of the Interior Design Postgraduate Program at Politechnico di Milano Italia. This new approach to design was launched by Andrea Branzi and Michele de Lucchi, the two main designers at Milan. Viewed from aesthetics, the works on display have symbolic aesthetic elements. The works display a "social environment" based on the concept of suffering. Descriptive analysis method is used to explain the background and aesthetic goals of suffering. Observation in contemporary interior design is used as an interpretation of this concept as well as a comparative study. The aim is to find an implementation that what Andre Branzi and Michele de Lucchi call an aesthetic of suffering in various approaches and design styles, already in contemporary interior design work. The results showed that in an indirect form, the concept of misery in various approaches and design styles is existed or represented in industrial-style interior design work which in addition to using old factory-nuanced materials, symbolically showed the element of suffering.