The art historian Wilhelm Fraenger described the famous Garden of Earthly Delights by the enigmatic Hieronymus Bosch as “an utopia, a millennial condition that could be offered if humanity were allowed to return to Paradise, in a state of tranquil harmony, embracing all of Creation.” His words resonate in the ‘Giardino delle Meraviglie’ created by artist Agostino Iacurci and envisioned by Luca Molinari for Milan’s Design Week: an utopian space, a peaceful and harmonious oasis, allowing the public to embrace the outdoor world in its contemporary beauty, as well as its timeless essence.

From April 7th to 13th, door, the well-known interior design magazine of Repubblica, will host talks, workshops, and cultural events, transforming the Chiostri di San Barnaba into a unique garden—a space for education on the outdoor universe and social sharing. We had the opportunity to speak with both Iacurci and Molinari, delving into the reasons and significance of this idyllic space. On this occasion, we also took the opportunity to reflect on the relationship between the central theme of this exhibition, the sporting imagination, and contemporary art.

What role has sports played in the development of Filippi Iacurci’s artistic philosophy? What kind of relationship do you have with his imagery?

Agostino Iacurci: “In my life, sports and art have intersected at various moments and on different levels. I grew up in Foggia, a city with a strong football tradition. However, I wasn’t so much shaped by its football scene, but by its political one. Even there, though, football was inevitably pervasive. Many of those involved in the graffiti scene and the ‘extraparliamentary’ activism were somehow connected to the local football scene. I found the same situation in Rome, where I spent my university years.

My professional journey started as a designer for brands like Adidas. I moved abroad in order to pursue this career. That choice marked the first major shift in my life: on one hand, it introduced me to an international creative dimension and educated me in the world of sportswear; on the other, it made me realize that I didn’t really want to engage with sport in that way. For me, sport is a theme, a metaphor, even to tell the story of an artist’s work. People often imagine our profession as a dream job, but just like with an athlete, it’s actually made up of a long series of sacrifices. With a show or a specific work, you hit adrenaline peaks, like in a race. But then, you immediately have to think about the next goal. Daily discipline is key.

Especially in the early stages of my artistic career, I focused heavily on wall painting. This practice, in a sense, resembles an extreme sport. You’re not physically climbing, but similar elements come into play, like managing balance or perceiving space… Your body becomes a unit of measurement: you have no other reference points, at least not in the way I conceive of this form of art. And in sports, the body is the essential unit of measurement too. I’ve had the privilege of practicing many sports, so this association feels quite natural to me…”

Focusing on Opendoor, how is the relationship between humans and the outdoor landscape evolving, and how is the sports element effectively coming into contact with the artistic element to communicate and elevate this theme?

Luca Molinari: “This question is highly relevant to the epochal shift we’ve been experiencing over the past few decades. For a long time, we lived in a sort of separation between being enclosed in our homes and stepping outside to breathe, relax, and connect with nature. Outdoor activities almost seemed like a profession.

Today, I believe that the distinction between these dimensions has become much less defined. Cities are increasingly populated with spaces where the relationship between inside and outside is far more ambiguous and fluid. We’re returning to living in communities, and I’m also referring to digital communities that become physical at certain moments, gathering in open spaces. In the past, I used to observe communities like Latinos who would gather in parks for barbecues, playing and spending entire days together. We viewed these phenomena as something exotic, but in reality, they were extremely interesting ways of claiming public spaces and using them actively. Now, we see a general need to replicate that behavior: not only to breathe different air, of course, but also to come together, to create human connections and relationships… This anthropological phenomenon implicitly combines with the sports element. Play is shared enjoyment, and it’s also care for the body—another crucial theme for contemporary society. Through sport and play, public and private spaces are increasingly blending, even in unexpected ways. There’s a paradigm shift taking place, where the use of an art form like painting, for example, allows people to revolutionize their perspectives on certain spaces, transforming them into generous and inclusive places. This is undeniably important.

Of course, we always need to consider the scale of cities. In metropolitan areas, where the complexity and the variety of communities present are much greater, a more institutionalized formalization of spaces is, I would say, inevitable. It becomes far more complex to create projects, even temporary ones. In metropolitan contexts, revolutionizing a small square full of parking lots, closing it off, and transforming it into, say, a play space, is a process that must necessarily come from above, from the long-term virtuous vision of the municipality. Once again, we’re talking about something that, in my opinion, is crucial for our society, and it also holds profound political value.”

The ‘Giardino delle Meraviglie’, what meanings lie behind this exhibition space, and what message does it aim to convey to the public?

Agostino Iacurci: “As I mentioned earlier, I grew up in a place like Foggia, where life was all about the outdoors. We were at home only to eat and sleep. There were no real ways of organizing leisure time, or at least they were very basic. So, outdoor space became synonymous with youthful invention and creativity. I turned to wall painting for this reason: the walls, streets, and squares were nothing but spaces for expressing myself. We took these spaces and ‘colonized’ them, transforming them as art galleries. We were flipping the paradigm, so to speak… And what was a private, perhaps abandoned space, became a public good.

For me, outdoor space remains the first place of artistic expression, and not just that—it’s the first place of expression, in the broader sense of the word. I have a special connection with it because the communion of architecture and landscape has shaped my sense of space, materials, color, even light. Clearly, in artistic terms, you must always deal with the type of architecture and landscape you are working with. The Chiostri di San Barnaba is not a simple overpass or square; it’s a beautiful place that has allowed me and the other artists involved in Opendoor to express ourselves on various levels. We all decided to think and find a common thread in the idea of the ‘Giardino delle Meraviglie,’ a place of delights.

I’ve always been fascinated by the narrative and artistic thread of paradises, as well as the classic, bucolic hortus. And I’ve always been struck by how an  ideal place has been interpreted in various ways and forms. The idea of paradise is a concept that belongs to many cultures, especially the Italian one, rooted in Catholicism. We’re talking about something vast, controversial, rich in inspiration, history, and complexities… In this specific case, we decided to link it to the ludus theme. One of my first exhibitions revolved around the concept of ‘Homo Ludens’ theorized by Huizinga, and Huizinga resonates in the overall structure of Opendoor. There are references to artists like Bosch, a master of gardens of delights, and architectural elements that are simple yet oversized, designed almost like children’s games. Their symbiosis creates a fantastical landscape: a blend of natural islands, artistic traces, and design objects.”

Luca Molinari: “I agree with what Agostino said, and I’d like to add a reflection: our idea is that this ‘Giardino delle Meraviglie’ should be a happy place, where people can stop and reflect together during the Design Week. A public space that allows for the creation of virtuous conversations and design to be conceived as something for everyone… In gardens, just think of the famous one in Boccaccio’s Decameron, it’s well-known that people relax and can share various topics. We want Opendoor to serve the same function. People will experience the Chiostri di San Barnaba through conversations, or simply by stopping to listen to good music, or by participating in the festivals and workshops we’ll organize.

My work allows me to travel the world, and I always look for places where people gather, and they are always beautiful, pleasant places. These days, everyone talks about experience. I believe that experience means how we feel in a specific place. Space can be understood as something physical and material, but also as something cultural. It can be the center of aggregation for different communities, who can confront each other through their shared appreciation of beauty. I believe that the beauty of places can break down many of the tensions that dominate contemporary life. Opendoor wants to be part of this conversation.”

Sustainability and the outdoors are two symbiotic dimensions—does this also apply to Opendoor?

Luca Molinari: “Sustainability is key to Opendoor. For example, we want Agostino’s installations to have a second life. Additionally, I want to emphasize that we worked following a clear principle of ‘wise poverty.’ The design industry often clashes with the problem of material consumption, with Opendoor we are trying to express an opposing position. Of course, everything is very complex and contradictions are always present, but we have tried to be as virtuous as possible.”

Agostino Iacurci: “Speaking of ‘wise poverty,’ I started my artistic journey with a humble, elemental form of art, like painting. I did it out of necessity, but I continue to pursue this artistic form now. With Opendoor, I’m happy with what I would call an ‘artistic understatement,’ revealed in a broader context like today’s art world, where everyone relentlessly chases the ‘wow effect.’ In the Chiostri di San Barnaba, we present four primordial sculptures and ‘pieces’ of landscape: visual incursions shaped by the will and conviction to imprint a pictorial sense for those who will observe them.

I, too, believe that sustainability is an unavoidable topic in this historical moment and agree that it’s an incredibly vast issue. For example, we’re here celebrating an event, but at the same time, I’m convinced that the entire event system needs to be rethought. Events consume cities, and organizers should put the theme of responsibility at the core of every event. With Opendoor, we’re trying to do a lot with little; and we’re making sure that these new sculptures have an independent life, so they can outlast the event itself…”

Athleta’s tagline is ‘Sport is art and culture.’ What do you think is the current state of the intersection between the sporting imagination, design, and contemporary art? Does this ever-increasing blending of worlds have a positive function?

Luca Molinari: “This summer, I spent hours watching the Olympic Games, especially the opening ceremony. For the first time, it wasn’t held in a stadium, but in a city—used in a visionary way. I was struck by the fusion of art, sport, and a sense of collectivity. We’re in a time where all interdisciplinary boundaries are fading. I like to make this comparison: when I was younger, I didn’t follow sports much, yet I would always pick up Guerin Sportivo at the newsstand because it was a culturally and aesthetically innovative product. Today, magazines like Athleta further evolve this dynamic, highlighting the increasingly constant blending of different spheres and domains.

I believe the aesthetic experience is crucial, but it must also hold a certain social and cultural value. When the visuality of art combines with sport, understood as an integral part of a community and a cornerstone of self-awareness, we have a powerful combination: a unique medium that can bring new meanings and drive change. The blending of worlds should have these ultimate goals: working at intersections means allowing new reflections, opening doors to new realms, themes, perspectives… and stepping outside your own algorithm.”

Agostino Iacurci: “I personally participated in the Olympic event, painting the façade of the Casa Azzurra in Paris. Italian sport chose to represent itself through national art because sport and art share the ability to create and communicate values. They are platforms with limitless ethical potential that can influence a lot, especially the actions of future generations. Sport and art both carry responsibilities and, at the same time, express our possibilities.”