IED is a global creative space for new thinkers, makers and doers

Founded in 1966, IED has preserved its original Italian cultural roots whilst embracing a global perspective, committed to creativity beyond traditional education. For over 50 years, IED has prided itself on being a crucible where young talents in visual arts, graphic design, photography, illustration, and interactive design can flourish – becoming innovators and storytellers, as well as students. On campus, creatives use their chosen medium to convey perspectives, experiences and narratives that resonate on a universal level –  a testament to the institute’s philosophy that authentic communication is rooted in personal expression and creativity.

Wherever you look, IED is an electric patchwork – somewhere where (often opposing) things collide together to make something entirely new. From their ‘phygital’ outlook and practical-meets-poetic approach to the unique intersection between design, art and photography that IED straddles. This space where technology, tradition, and new media meet is where every student is empowered to shape their own narrative, challenging not only themselves but us too – asking us to see beyond the surface and find connections in our shared humanity. All the while, learning the latest in new tools and technologies alongside conceptual, philosophical thinking, offering an exciting space to explore whatever, however.

One such original and forward-thinking project from IED Roma is It’s gonna be OK from Nicoletta Figliuolo, a photography student whose uniquely staged work balances still life and portraiture, exploring the feeling of inadequacy and the fear of facing the world. Having worked solo, setting up the sets in the studio and portraying herself became playfully paradoxical, registered in the ironic use of bright colours amongst truly uncomfortable positions, scenes and situations.  

Somewhat similarly, Anais Gambazzi’s Natura Selvaggia, crafted at Accademia di Belle Arte Aldo Galli Como, is utterly unnerving – inviting us into a realm where the mundane and mystical meld in the most unsettling of ways, with everyday objects reimagined as fantastical beings. Blurring the lines between the animalistic and human, the real and the imagined. As such, the collection not only showcases the diversity of thought and creativity but also serves as a metaphor for the myriad possibilities that coexist in our world.

Equally empathetic (if significantly less uncanny-valley) is Out-In from Valerio Buccolieri, Luna Rainaldi, and Swami Soccorsi at IED Roma, who together tackled the change in the mental health of adolescents across a data-driven, research-based publication. Documenting the years between 2019-2022, Out-In focuses on the pandemic’s effects on teenagers’ daily lives. Created in two parts, an essential section of the first book, designed entirely in black and white, concerns an art workshop that engaged the students at the Don Mario Picchi Italian Solidarity Centre. The second companion book maintains the same grid structure as the first but presents a more colourful style, including 25 works of art and 15 drawings created in collaboration with two artists. Five colours were selected, each associated with specific emotions, and gradients were then made, each linked to a specific disorder, enlivened through graphic pop-ups and curiosities on the subject.

As we can see, IED’s global outlook, coupled with its strong cultural identity, welcomes creatives from across the world, creating an inviting environment that not only enriches the educational experience but also prepares students to thrive in a globalised world. The Istituto Europeo di Design continues to commit to its mission of nurturing creativity and fostering new innovative minds. Through their art and design, IED students not only tell their stories but also invite us to see the world through a new lens.