Milan is set to host the fifth edition of Prada Frames, the annual symposium curated by design and research studio Formafantasma, held alongside the Salone del Mobile. Titled In Sight, the 2026 edition turns its focus to one of today’s most pressing topics: the role and impact of images in contemporary culture.
More than a traditional event, Prada Frames positions itself as a platform for interdisciplinary dialogue, where design, society, and culture intersect. Rather than offering definitive answers, the symposium encourages critical thinking and embraces complexity as a driving force for progress.
At the heart of this year’s program is the image as a cultural, political, and material entity. In an era dominated by visual production, the boundary between reality and representation is increasingly blurred—further complicated by the rise of machine-generated imagery and artificial intelligence. As a result, distinguishing fact from fabrication has become more challenging than ever.
Beyond perception, the symposium also highlights the tangible impact of image production. What appears immaterial is in fact supported by vast infrastructures involving resource extraction, energy consumption, data storage, and often invisible labor.
Through a series of talks and conversations, In Sight will explore historical ways of seeing, the environmental and social costs of digital images, their political uses, and the attention economies that shape their circulation. The aim is to rethink how images influence not only what we see, but how we understand and experience the world.
The symposium will take place at Santa Maria delle Grazie in central Milan, a historic setting that bridges past and present. The program also includes guided visits and a special evening event featuring key ideas from the symposium alongside a musical performance, opening the experience to a wider audience.
Admission is free upon registration starting April 13, reinforcing Prada’s commitment to making critical cultural discourse widely accessible.
