Nilufar presents Ex Terrā, highlighting the dichotomy between humans and nature

Nilufar's Via della Spiga gallery is hosting Ex Terrā, a group exhibition exploring our evolving relationship with nature and how its complexity and beauty continue to influence interior environments. Curated by Nina Yashar, the exhibition, which runs from April 8 – May 31, 2025, features works by Andrea Mancuso, Maximilian Marchesani and Etienne Marc, alongside a selection of artists curated by Filippo Pecora, including Renata Boero, Lisa Dalfino, Servane Mary, Augustas Serapinas, Simon Callery and Ann Iren Buan.

Through new and previously unseen works, Ex Terrā, unveiled during Milan Design Week 2025, as part of Nilufar's expansive, five-act showcase titled Repetorio, examines the tension between humanity and the natural world—its imperfection, resilience and the timeless inspiration it offers. The design gallery in Milan, Italy, transforms into a series of immersive, terrarium-like environments where art and design merge with organic materials and forms with this fifth act.

Bringing together three designers who have long been part of the Nilufar universe, Yashar, the gallery's founder, creates a unified yet individual expression of how nature informs their creative processes. The design exhibition highlights artworks and furniture designs that reflect natural rhythms—growth, decay and regeneration—while emphasising distinct personal aesthetics.

"Their sensitive approach to design reflects the delicate equilibrium between humans and nature—a theme that is integral to our existence yet often overlooked. Through their unique perspectives, this exhibition becomes a dialogue between design, art and the natural world, inviting us to reconsider our connection to it," says Yashar, who is also a renowned gallerist, collector and patron and one of the most innovative tastemakers in contemporary design.

Terrario by Andrea Mancuso

Building on ideas from his Acquario series, Mancuso presents Terrario—a collection of sculptural designs inspired by self-contained natural habitats. Thousands of hand-mounted ceramic discs in rich earth tones of deep brown to emerald create textured surfaces reminiscent of underbrush and lichen. Organic materials such as leaves, fungi and lichens "are then digitised using a 3D scanner, then assembled, upscaled and modelled to form a collection of functional sculptures, including a floor lamp, console, wall mirror, two dining tables, coffee table and two side tables—each piece a unique fusion of technology, craft and imagination," show's the press release mentions.

As the Italian designer elaborates in the release, "With Terrario, I aimed to explore the concept of integrating the natural world into domestic environments. Similar to introducing an object like an aquarium or terrarium into the home, I played with the idea of extracting nature from its original context. The shapes of the objects are not literal recreations of living organisms but are intended to evoke the artificial nature of these confined habitats."

Unproduced by Maximilian Marchesani

Industrial design consultant Marchesani explores the interplay between technology and nature in a new light-based series titled Unproduced. Through minimal, organic forms, his mirror and four ceiling lamp designs reflect concerns about industrial impact and ecological loss. The product designs create a warm, immersive atmosphere, offering a quiet meditation on coexistence and the search for harmony between artificial and organic systems.

"I dream of a point of balance that seeks to bring together the irreparably contaminated natural world and the artificial world, which we can no longer imagine giving up," says Marchesani.

Still Life by Etienne Marc

Marc's furniture straddles design and sculpture, drawing on vegetal metamorphosis and archaeological remnants. Materials such as oxidised metals and bronze leaf create surfaces marked by time. Influenced by historic patinas and botanical textures, the collection features a series of functional pieces—tables, vases, stools, consoles and mirrors—defined by organic spontaneity and structural clarity.

"Mimicking nature requires spontaneity and mistakes; there's logic in organic construction," shares the French designer and craftsman.

"Through Yashar's distinct curatorial vision and the works of Marchesani, Mancuso and Marc, the exhibition aims at cultivating a deeper connection with our surroundings, encouraging reflection on the cycles of regeneration, fragility and resilience that bind us to it. It's a reminder of the living environment's endless capacity to inspire, heal and teach—an enduring force that continues to offer new insights, perspectives, and possibilities, regardless of time or circumstance. In Ex Terrā’, design and nature intertwine seamlessly, offering a space for contemplation on the ways the natural world continues to shape our creativity, environments and experiences," shares Nilufar.

Keep up with STIR’s coverage of Milan Design Week 2025, where we spotlight the most compelling exhibitions, presentations and installations from top studios, designers and brands. Dive into the highlights of Euroluce 2025 and explore all the design districts—Fuorisalone, 5Vie, Brera, Isola, Durini, and beyond—alongside the faceted programme of Salone del Mobile.Milano this year.