August 2019 Homes & Antiques 125
Whatnextforthismaterial?
Here’sa tasterofhowdesigners
are using it today...
THE FUTURE
OF TERRACOTTA
It is notonlyPoggiUgomaking
waveswithterracottaandstopping
theglobaldesigncommunityin
itstracks.In recentyearswehave
seenthematerialusedin innovative
waysaroundtheworld.TakeBrazil’s
leadingcontemporarydesigners
HumbertoandFernandoCampana,
whohaveproducedaneditionof
unusualterracottabowls,aswellas
usedterracottablocksto createa shop
interiorforskincarecompanyAesop’s
SãoPaulostore.Meanwhile,weare
sureto seeterracottabeingusedmore
to cladbuildings– theengineering
buildingat Australia’sUniversityof
Queensland,designedbyarchitects
RichardKirkandHassell,is beingheld
up as a shining light of such design.
Surprisingly,ancientterraco a
collectablesarea ordable.Chris
MartinofCJMartin&AncientArt
inLondon,whodealsinantiquities,
saysyoucanbuya pieceforasli leas
£50,whileaninterestingone-o
couldsellforseveralthousand,but
rarelymore.‘TheearlyBronzeAge
area,whichismodern-dayGeorgia,
producedthe rstpo ery,’hesays.‘It
wasallproducedbywomen.There
arelotsofpre y vesselsinclassic
bulbousshapeswithoneortwo
handlesthatdatefrom3000BC.In
termsofa ordability,youcanbuy
somethingquitenicefor£200.’He
saysRomanterraco a piecesdating
fromaboutAD200tendtobewine
bo lesoroillamps– theRomanlight
bulb.Dependingondecoration,they
cancostfrom£50to£250.More
recentterraco a antiquestendtobe
planters,urnsandsculptures,which
are around the £200-£600 mark.
Theinnovative‘Land’
projectunveiledbyItalian
terracottacompanyPoggi
Ugoat MilanDesign
Weekin Aprilwasits first
forayintointeriors– a
majormovefromthe
classicgardenpotsit has
produced for a century.
ABOVEAnItalian16th-
centuryterracottastatue
of CarthaginianHannibal
Barca.Forsaleat Nicholas
Wells Antiques (£POA).
ANTIQUES.NOW.