Milano Design Week 2026 with Maurizio Cattelan

The artist Maurizio Cattelan once again surprises the public with a new participatory event that brings together art, conviviality, and design. On the occasion of Milan Design Week 2026, Cattelan invites citizens, visitors, and enthusiasts to take part in an original breakfast bartering event at dawn, transforming Piazza Duomo into a space for meeting and exchange.

Following the success of last year’s performative breakfast, the artist returns with an even more engaging format: on Monday, April 20, 2026, from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m., the heart of Milan will become the stage for a collective action where objects take on new meanings. The event, organized by Cucù and promoted by Living Corriere together with the Museo del Novecento, marks the official opening of Design Week—one of the most highly anticipated international events in the design world.

Alongside Cattelan will once again be Nicolas Ballario, collaborating on an initiative that moves between irony and reflection. The concept is simple yet powerful: each participant is asked to bring an object to exchange. These are not limited to design pieces in the strict sense, but include items capable of telling a story, evoking a memory, or sparking curiosity.

Bartering thus becomes a symbolic and social gesture, where value is not determined by price but by meaning. Whether it is an iconic piece, a sentimental object, or something unusual, each choice helps create a dialogue between strangers, perfectly aligned with the spirit of Design Week, which has always explored the relationship between design and everyday life.

Adding further interest to the event is the participation of leading figures from the contemporary design scene. Among those involved are prominent designers such as Stefano Seletti, Fabio Novembre, Marcantonio, Matteo Cibic, and Elena Salmistraro, who will each bring their own objects to contribute to the exchange.

The convivial aspect remains central: breakfast will be offered to participants (while supplies last) thanks to the support of Lavazza, while live musical performances will animate the atmosphere, turning Piazza Duomo into a place of celebration and sharing from the early hours of the morning.

With this initiative, Cattelan once again confirms his ability to redefine the boundaries between art and reality, proposing an event that is at once a performance, a collective ritual, and a reflection on the value of objects. An original way to open Design Week and engage the public in a direct experience, where design becomes a tool for connection and the artist acts as a mediator of new relationships.