Mi in Mi Food Design Exhibition

Mi in Mi is an immersive experience that explores rice not only as food, but as a universal language and a design medium capable of activating new intercultural narratives. As the official Food Design Partner of Milan Design Week • Zona Sarpi 2025, and with the support of APICAIA, JOYY! invites the public to rediscover the value of rice in contemporary life through a series of interactive events — including exhibitions, creative and culinary workshops, performances, interviews, and open calls. Each grain of rice becomes a design element, a tool for reflecting on the relationship between humans, nature, and culture, sparking dialogue across diverse perspectives and sensibilities. Structured around The Four Acts of Rice — Rice-Scape, Rice Faces, Mindful Rice, Milan’s Rice Voices — Mi in Mi embodies our vision: to initiate intercultural dialogue through rice, transforming it into a bridge between tradition and modernity, East and West, heart to heart.

Rice-Scape
Rice is not just food. It is a cultural symbol, carrying tradition and philosophy. Rice civilization, mythological legends, and the wisdom of Eastern philosophy, such as “pulling up the seedlings” and “every grain is the result of hard work”, reflect the boundless creativity of this crop. We will explore how rice is presented across cultures, highlighting its importance in human civilization from a multicultural perspective.

Rice-Faces
The diversity of rice-based products and cooking methods demonstrates the infinite possibilities of this ingredient. From traditional rice dishes to modern innovations, we will showcase how rice has evolved to create rich flavors and forms suited to different cultures and needs. Its neutral taste embodies the “Doctrine of the Mean” from Eastern philosophy, allowing rice to perfectly combine with various ingredients, creating a harmonious culinary experience.

Mindful Rice
Rice nourishes the body and offers an opportunity for inner peace and reflection. Through meditation-inspired, multi-sensory experiences, we guide participants to connect with rice through touch, smell, sound, and other senses, rediscovering its Zen qualities. This is not just cooking, but a sensorial and spiritual purification that invites people to reflect on the “here and now,” restoring a deep connection with themselves and nature.

Milan‘s Rice Voices
Rice, as a global cultural bond, is closely connected to Milan’s unique culture and community. Through co-creation workshops, we will collect and share the “rice voices” of Milan’s residents, documenting their emotional connection to rice. Along with an online artistic Open Call, we will transform these global “rice stories” into a public art exhibition. Rice, more than food, is a medium that fosters intercultural dialogue, connecting different traditions and communities. In Milan, a vibrant city, we will speak of rice stories, breathing new life into the city’s culture

Co-work with Joyce Tang
Photo by Mattia Azzoni
2025

Through both online and offline story collection, we gathered rice memories from around the world, highlighting its role in linking people and cultures. This collaborative storytelling initiative encouraged individuals to reflect on personal memories and cultural traditions through platforms like Instagram, WeChat, Xiaohongshu, and local community markets in Milan, including Taste of Oriente at Tempio del Futuro Perduto.

In partnership with ADI Design Museum’s Junior Lab and Róng Design Library in Milan, we hosted co-creative workshops for children and adults to transform rice memories into artistic expressions. These works became heartfelt symbols of belonging and the intersections of food, tradition, and imagination.

On opening night, participants were invited to enter a fantastical “rice island” and co-create imaginative landscapes using rice-based foods. This sensory workshop blended taste and creativity, turning rice into a medium for dreaming and playful connection.

In collaboration with Laboratorio Silenzio and Costume Designer Ivan Wang, this performance explored silence, ritual, and the language of rice through an inclusive, meditative art experience. The co-creation with hearing and non-hearing participants bridged culture and nature, inviting audiences to reconnect with their inner selves through multisensory immersion.