Alongside the unveiling of their new furniture and lighting, the Danish interiors brand FRAMA presented a first look at IL MERCATO, a cross-industry collaboration to highlight how design can have a greater impact on food culture and its local community. IL MERCATO is a cross-industry exhibition in collaboration with chef Chiara Barla from neighborhood restaurant Apotek 57 and Grønt Marked, a non-profit that promotes alternative methods of food production, distribution, and consumption through farmers markets. Through IL MERCATO, collaborators highlight the local community and the importance of food culture. FRAMA turned their Showroom into a gallery, with produce supplied by GRONT MARKED carefully arranged on custom-made crates, wooden blocks and a grouping of FRAMA’S iconic oak Farmhouse Trestle Tables.
Resting on a custom-made wooden egg crate were blue and white duck eggs sourced from SONDERGARD. King Trumpet Mushrooms emerged, uncut, from a mycelium block. A truckle of untouched farm cheese laid atop an untouched block of concrete. Jars of various pickled vegetables, such as red onion and carrots, were showcased in the showroom’s original 1800s cupboard, which was retained from the space’s previous owner, the apothecary from St. Paul. The cupboard is typically used to display FRAMA’s care and fragrance collections. By acknowledging the importance of supporting locals through the universal language and connectivity of food, FRAMA and its collaborators aim to motivate individuals to make conscious choices in their purchasing and consumption habits across various industries. FRAMA aspires to foster more meaningful partnerships that positively impact society and challenge conventional work practices.