Client: Palazzo Pirelli
In January 2016, Palazzo Pirelli in Milan hosted Water is Life, an exhibition by French photographer Eric Maillet, curated and designed LDF Studio as part of the “Feeding the Future, Now” program promoted by Regione Lombardia. Conceived by Mario Rescio and André Werther, the project brought together art, design, and environmental reflection in one of the city’s most symbolic institutional spaces.
The exhibition presented 25 large-scale works depicting the bottoms of plastic water bottles collected around the world. Seen together, the images became abstract compositions reminiscent of stained-glass windows, planets, or kaleidoscopic forms, transforming an everyday object into a vibrant meditation on water as the essential element of life. LDF Studio curated the selection and display of works, designing a layout that emphasized the immersive power of Maillet’s imagery.
The studio developed the exhibition design using light and scale to create a cathedral-like atmosphere, and oversaw the graphic identity of the project, from on-site signage to communication materials. The result was a coherent narrative where photography, space, and design reinforced one another. Through this integrated curatorial and design approach, Water is Life invited visitors to reflect on the relationship between nature, industry, and beauty, showing how even the simplest plastic surface can reveal unexpected worlds.
