Dezeen promotion: Italian office furniture manufacturer UniFor has collaborated with Israeli designer Ron Gilad to create an installation that imagines Napoleon reading a giant book at this year's Milan design week.
The multimedia installation for UniFor is located in the plaza at the historical and cultural venue of Palazzo di Brera at Via Brera 28 in Milan, home to well-known institutions such as the Academy of Fine Arts and the Pinacoteca di Brera.
Gilad has placed a giant replica of the UniFor 50th anniversary book, which has been positioned in front of a bronze statue of Napoleon by 18th century Italian sculptor Antonio Canova to make it appear as if he is reading the book.
Ron Gilad has created an interactive installation to celebrate UniFor's 50th anniversary Inside the book is a multimedia screen that shows a video staring Empress Joséphine Bonaparte, the first wife of Napoleon, who can be seen turning the pages of the book for her former husband ? a "symbolic and humorous action that presents the real content of UniFor's book to the audience".
"If we consider that the National Braidense Library ? described by 17th century Archduchess of Austria Maria Theresa as 'an open library for the common use of anyone who wants to cultivate his mind, and acquire new knowledge' ? is hosted in Palazzo di Brera, what could be a better place to present alongside the book of UniFor"" said Gilad.
The installation appears to show Napoleon reading a giant ...