Curator Valentina Guidi Ottobri had been
to the Poggi Ugo factory many times before,
but a few months ago, she had a properly
quixotic vision: to prepare for its 100-year
anniversary, the terracotta manufacturer
had laid out hundreds of pieces under the
sun in their large square at Impruneta. ‘They
appeared to me as naked bodies in different
shades,’ she explains.
The experience made her wonder: Can
terracotta be seen in other unexpected ways?
That thought led to Land, a rooftop installa-
tion in Milan’s Carrobbio district, featuring
19 unexpectedly sculptural interior objects
designed by Masquespacio. ‘The idea was to
reclaim nature and “real” materials, put-
ting them back inside the house,’ says Guidi
Ottobri. ‘It’s a thought that goes against the
prevailing globalization and offers a commer-
cially valid solution to diversify its choices in
the face of climate change.’Under Masquespacio’s direction, Poggi Ugo’s
traditional Florentine earthenware now
references Louis Tenaert’s 1933 modernist
townhouse in Uccle – that’s the inspiration
behind the Skyscrapers table vases – as well
as Brazilian tropicalism – see the Area Vip
room divider – and even a bit of Sottsass in
the Infinite Geometry wall sculpture. ‘In this
era we’re overwhelmed by tech, so customers
are looking to connect with elements that
remind them of nature,’ explains Christophe
Penasse, one half of the design studio. ‘That’s
why craftsmanship has a lot of potential right
now: it’s a way to disconnect from the perfect
“things” made by machines, and by looking
for human imperfection we can all take part
in nature.’
valentinaguidiottobri.com
masquespacio.comM
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26 OBJECTS RETRO REVIVAL