Alice Stori Liechtenstein: Collecting beauties

I studied design with the intention of becoming a designer. However, I have always had a great passion for exhibition narrative. So, I specialised early on in exhibition design and exhibition design, because I love that aspect. I enjoy visiting exhibitions, but even more so teaching and telling stories through objects. As a designer, I can create, but I lack that extra spark…. On the other hand, I realise that I am good at stimulating designers, encouraging them and helping them where needed. Therefore, I feel more comfortable supporting and directing behind the scenes rather than designing myself.

An object must first and foremost tell a story, have something special that arouses interest. This detail may not be immediately obvious, but it can also emerge in industrial production: a hook, a screw, a small element that makes it special. However, quality is increasingly important. There are many objects that look fascinating in photos, but in real life do not work, they are more photogenic than beautiful. At first I was attracted to more witty and innovative objects, but now I realise how crucial it is that they are well made, functional and solid. This is also important for ecological reasons: apart from the use of biodegradable materials, true ecology is about creating long-lasting objects that we don’t get tired of using quickly.

One of the reasons I started the project was because I realised how important the castle was for the people in the area. I liked the idea of opening it to the public, even if only for one day a year, because the inhabitants felt it to be ‘theirs’. Having said that, I knew from the start that it was essential to offer exhibitions of a high standard, as if we were in a city like Milan, New York or Vienna. The specificity of the location and regionality became crucial: most visitors do not regularly attend design fairs or exhibitions, but have the same curiosity and desire to learn about new things.

Another challenge was to create a dialogue between the old and the new. At first, the idea of putting a modern carpet in a baroque, neoclassical or neo-gothic room was frightening. Then, I realised that if the objects are well made and of quality, it doesn’t matter if they are from the 19th, 20th or 21st century: they fit together perfectly. This dialogue creates a common language between different eras. There are projects where new additions always seem to have been there, perfectly integrated with the existing environment. These are the projects that give the most satisfaction.

The complete horizon of the project was clear from the very beginning, and therefore the criticism was revealed over time, in a very organic way. My husband has always been with me, never having any doubts. The extended family was initially a bit sceptical about such an out-of-the-ordinary idea. However, after the first two exhibitions, they were all amazed. I remember that one of the most frequent comments was: “But this is the level of Milan!”

Another reaction I love is when people unfamiliar with the project arrive thinking they are only seeing the castle, and then they discover the design.

From the first year, we always had designers who came during the summer. They would stay two or three weeks and work on site-specific projects, then have the whole year to complete them until the next exhibition in May. It always amazes me when people tell me that I am brave to open my home, but what really strikes me is how much respect we receive. Almost all the people we host appreciate the fact that it is a private home and show the appropriate respect. Many of the relationships we have built have become real friendships. There are designers with whom there has been a feeling from the very first moment, and these are often the people who understand the place best and who have realised very appropriate and meaningful projects.

Actually, Heinrich never owned @schlosshollenegg. He was Alfred’s younger brother, who lived in Hollenegg between 1860 and 1902. Heinrich, the younger brother, never married, travelled the world and wrote his diary practically every 2-3 days. Thanks to this, we know almost everything about his travels and the places he visited. He bought many things, especially in Asia, which stayed in Hollenegg because he never had any family and left everything at his older brother’s house.

He was an incredible character, and the collection of Asian objects he brought back is really fascinating. I am doing research on him and found that some parts of his diary are already transcribed and readable, while others, handwritten, I could not read. I had these transcribed by a lady and maybe they will become a book. I am working on it!

I am not actually someone really attached to objects, especially not furniture. What I would hate to loose though are my books, especially those of my childhood. I still have all my favourite books and I have taken them with me every time I have moved. The most holy of them all are the “L’Illustrazioni dei Piccoli”, a magazine which only was on sale for a couple of years. I know them by heart and when my kids were little and sick in bed the special treat was to receive the whole collection to look through.