Elena Salmistraro (Elena Salmistraro, b. 1983) is a rising star of Italian design. This year, the career of a young Milan artist, designer and illustrator took an incredible rise.

Related: Salone del Mobile 2017: prize winners

Жюри Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2017 объявило ее победительницей в категории «лучший молодой дизайнер», а Миланский музей Триеннале наградил титулом «амбассадора» Italian Design Day (Всемирного дня итальянского дизайна под патронажем Министерства иностранных дел). В январе на выставке Maison & objet с успехом дебютировала ее коллекция ваз Primates для Bosa в виде стилизованных обезьяньих голов; в апреле на Milan Design Week стартовали новые проекты для Texturae и De Castelli.

Primates, Bosa, 2017. Dornette, Bosa, 2017. Dornette, Bosa, 2017. MRND, Seletti, 2015.

Professionals appreciate the artistic style of the young Italian. She received the Salone del Mobile award with the wording: “for the ability to bring the power of her imagination into mass production”. Vases, monkeys, scarab caskets, wallpaper with cockatoo parrots, glass cups and bottles, inspired by the mysterious sculptures of the Mayan tribe, captivate with its bright imagery.

The Brushes' Army, Alessi. The prototypes are shown as part of the White in the City project at the 2017 Milan Design Week.

A powerful source of inspiration is mythology and archeology. Legends and facts Elena interprets in the language of modern graphic design, street art, comics and children's illustration. Thus, the figures of terracotta warriors from the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, she turned into a kitchen accessory for Alessi - brushes for brushing crumbs off the table (prototypes are shown as part of the White in the City installation at Milan Design Week) round handle located in the center of the body, which makes the subject resemblance to the mythical giant cyclope Polyphemus.

Polifemo, De Castelli, 2013. Belte, My Home Collection, 2017. Nazca, Durame, 2016.

“If to compare, painting for me is a conversation between friends, while design is a serious speech addressed to a wide audience.”

A graduate of the Milan Polytechnic (graduated in 2008), already in 2009 she founded her own design studio together with architect Angelo Stoli, and in 2010 she registered the brand Alla’s design. In addition to industrial design, he enthusiastically paints: he works with a black outline and bright acrylic paints on large canvases (150x100 cm), due to which the canvases become similar to comic drawings enlarged a dozen times. Her style is often called pop surrealism. Elena herself, avoiding the terms, says that she works on the verge of design and art.

Cockatoo, textures, 2016. Dino, textures, 2016. Bellows, textures, 2016.

The turning point in his career considers cooperation with the brand Bosa. In 2015, the well-known company invited her along with other young designers (Matteo Chibich, Sebastian Herkner) to participate in the ANIMAlita exhibition project, having designed decorative objects on the theme of the animal world. According to Elena, the exhibition shown in the Milan Triennale Museum served as a good springboard for her career. She considers her new collection for Bosa to be the main achievement and pride at the moment.

Together, NasonMoretti, 2016. Zeno, Italian Stone, 2017.