Cover Glo for Art
With the Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026 is just around the corner; this year’s edition promises a rich program of new releases, curated installations, and a growing focus on collectible design. The biennial sections are dedicated to kitchens and bathrooms, while lighting had its dedicated moment just weeks ago at Light + Building in Frankfurt. Lighting will not be featured in the halls of Rho Fiera, but at Fuorisalone, there is no shortage of events for lighting enthusiasts. From product launches in downtown showrooms to site-specific installations where light plays a central role, and research-driven group exhibitions, here is our selection of events across the city from April 21 to 26.
Fuorisalone 2026: new releases to discover in showrooms
Corso Monforte—and its surrounding streets—can rightfully be considered Milan’s “lighting district.” Many flagship stores are located here, and during Fuorisalone, they open their doors with special setups, new product presentations, and collection expansions.
Listing them all would be difficult, but we’ve selected a few that may offer particularly interesting insights for those interested in design and light.
At Flos (Corso Monforte 9), the revolutionary Maap wall lamp by Erwan Bouroullec—already previewed at Euroluce 2025—will be officially launched, accompanied by a special in-store installation. Konstantin Grcic is also featured, although details remain limited.
At Foscarini (Corso Monforte 19), the focus shifts to pure research. Intrecci di luce / Knotted Light is an experimental laboratory exploring the intersection between light and 3D knitting. The installation presents the work of two designers. On one side, Joseph Forakis, with lamps characterized by unconventional volumes developed by pushing knitting techniques to their limits, including the adaptation of machinery and the use of non-traditional yarns. On the other hand, Lorenzo Palmeri, who applies fashion-related techniques to design, explores how two-dimensional textile surfaces can be transformed into three-dimensional forms.
In its showroom (Corso Monforte 19), Artemide presents its latest releases, primarily collection extensions that range from technical to decorative lighting. Also open is the Occhio flagship store (Corso Monforte 13), showcasing its latest innovations within the installation The Art of Reflection.
With the installation Chapter One, under the artistic direction of Luca Nichetto, Barovier&Toso (Via Durini 5) introduces its new visual identity, designed by Studio Blanco, alongside new Murano glass collections created by Nichetto® and international designers including Claesson Koivisto Rune, Emmanuel Babled, and García Cumini.
Lodes (Via della Moscova 33) presents the Axia pendant, developed in collaboration with designers Vittorio Venezia and Carolina Martinelli.
Locations across the city: installations and new products
Cosentino presents AXIS, an installation created with Tom Dixon at Casa Manzoni (Via Gerolamo Morone 1). The project unfolds as a sequence of immersive environments, each exploring a different aspect of material, form, and sensory perception—from sculptural tables to architectural surfaces, and from light to sound and reflections.
At the Fondazione Istituto dei Ciechi (Via Vivaio 7), Chinese automotive brand Geely presents Anima Mundi. A Visionary Impulse, an interactive installation by Dotdotdot. Through projections and light, it reinterprets nature as a living network of relationships, where humans are not dominant but exist in harmony with other species.
The brand 6:AM takes over the Piscina Romano (Via Ampère 24), showcasing its glass creations, lamps balanced between technology and craftsmanship.
There are a few previews available, but the installation by Yinka Ilori for Veuve Clicquot at the Mediateca Santa Teresa (Via della Moscova 28) promises an explosion of color. Titled Chasing the Sun, it evokes relaxation and positive energy—perhaps best enjoyed with a glass of champagne at the temporary bar.
For those interested in light and installations, a visit to Palazzo Moscova (Via della Moscova 18), hosting glo for art 2026, is well worth it. The work by Numero Cromatico takes the form of a large orange circle functioning as an interactive portal. Light, color, sound, text, touch, and scent combine to create an evolving environment, where every gesture alters the surrounding space.
At Fuorisalone 2026, Ingo Maurer presents Here We YaYaHo Again at Via Varese 13: a new phase in the evolution of YaYaHo, the low-voltage lighting system that, since 1984, has redefined how light can be conceived and designed. It is a system that resists being defined as such—an arrangement of mirrors, shades, and lamps suspended between conductive wires, without a fixed form, requiring creative input from the user.
The Drifting Light installation by Preciosa Lighting takes over Tempesta Gallery (Foro Buonaparte 68), featuring 60 blown-glass panels suspended both vertically and horizontally. Micro air bubbles within the glass capture and refract light and color.
The most interesting group exhibitions: where design becomes research
A visit to Alcova is always worthwhile. For its eleventh edition, the platform returns to occupy the former Military Hospital of Baggio (Via Simone Saint Bon 7), a fascinating semi-abandoned complex in the Primaticcio district dating back to the post–World War I period. Alongside the hospital, Alcova also opens Villa Pestarini, designed by Franco Albini (Via Mogadiscio 2/4).
At Palazzo Litta (Corso Magenta 24), MoscaPartners Variations 2026 returns, curated by Caterina Mosca and her team. The exhibition brings together designers, creatives, and companies to reflect on contemporary design research. This year’s theme is metamorphosis, explored through the installation Metamorphosis in Motion by Lina Ghotmeh in the palace’s main courtyard.
Nilufar returns to Milan Design Week with a series of new projects. At Nilufar Depot (Via Lancetti 34), the dialogue between vintage icons and contemporary works continues, with a still-undisclosed scenographic element welcoming visitors at the entrance.
At Nilufar Gallery (Via della Spiga 32), a curious and surprising exhibition is expected, although details of Nina Yashar’s selection remain under wraps—for now, a reliable highlight.