The written word is what marks human civilization and a world without words is a place without memories, history and creativity. Originating in the culture of writing, Montblanc has always been an international example for cultural commitment through its initiatives to support each and every form of arts and culture.
This year, the house supports Pavilion Zero, a pavilion in Milan’s Universal Exhibition, to launch the two-part “Montblanc recounts the World” project. Through the publication of a limited-edition book entitled “The Works of Man, the Fruits of the Earth” and the production of external graphics on the pavilion’s north and south facades, Montblanc recounts the world’s history with culture.
While the graphics that include verses, pictographs and petroglyphs from different eras and cultures tells Man’s story with food and with the world around him, the book celebrates the beauty of words over time through each stage of human civilization. Every written piece in “The Works of Man, the Fruits of the Earth” book reflects the author’s creativity and provides an insight into another culture and a different reality in space and time. Written in different languages – from 1500-BC Egyptian hieroglyphics to the 13th-century Chinese and 18th-century German – each work aims at telling a story, reflecting emotions or sharing wisdom with the reader.
“As human beings we are defined by culture. Without it, humankind loses its identity and society ceases to flourish,” explains Jérôme Lambert, Montblanc CEO. “From our early beginnings, continuing a tradition that started when human civilization discovered how to record its collective history, Montblanc has facilitated the recording and sharing of cultural milestones, thoughts and ideas with innovative writing instruments. Today, the Maison’s philosophy is anchored in a commitment to facilitate the support of arts and culture projects worldwide, for the benefit of humankind and future generations. The publication of this special book and the physical presence at Expo 2015 is part of this engagement to push our culture forward.”
In a special area of the pavilion designed in collaboration with Pavilion Zero’s artistic director Davide Rampello, visitors are given the opportunity to discover a collection of limited-edition writing instruments inspired by great scientists, writers and artists of the past such as Albert Einstein, Agatha Christie and Ernest Hemingway. These timeless creations are a reflection of Monblanc’s 100-year-old history and to make this experience more practical, the house produced outdoor seating – giving visitors the opportunity to rest along this cultural journey in Milan’s Universal Exhibition.
Mirella Haddad
