Vasi Mare

“Elena’s work is born from a love of pure, natural shapes and materials. In the early years of my career as a designer, the connection with nature and simplicity deeply influenced my vision. Marrying pop with nature embodies my design philosophy: South and North, craftsmanship and industry, tradition and design, material and approach. I remember a trip to Aspromonte, when I was a child, to a village called Seminara, where the tradition of ceramics still survives. I was given a ‘bumbuleddu’, a glazed earthenware container that keeps water cool. To me, this practical, decorative and communicative object is the perfect example of pop design. In this project, I play with these intimate memories, celebrating the spillover from tradition and design into a new take on folk culture.” Antonio Aricò

“I immediately noticed that Antonio works with registers that are polar opposites to my own way of working, and as such complementary. In a collaboration, I believe it is important to find a common space where you can move together. I see Antonio as sunny, vibrant, modern and ironic. I love the material world of sculpture, and I use very little colour, working with pared-back materials and essential shapes. I believe that this experiment shows how our two worlds interlock perfectly. On the practical side, the work is ambitious, as it involves lathe-thrown elements mounted on organic handcrafted shapes. I find this sumptuous world brimming with shapes, hues and surfaces to be very stimulating.” Elena Milani