The new collection from Nicolò Morales for Italian brand Paola Lenti starts with the natural resources in the landscape of Caltagirone, Italy, where the master ceramicist lives and works. In ancient times, potters had no means to procure clay on a large scale, and turned to the mountains and rivers that surrounded them. Morales gathers soils and mineral samples from the very same environment, which he then translates into different compositions and textures in clay. Comprising four pieces, the Stelo structure, the Primula table, the Helico table, and the Anemone side table, this collection celebrates the alchemy achieved using expert craftsmanship with found materials.
The Stelo, a standing ceramic structure, is made up of independent majolica elements stacked on top of each other to form organic, jaunty columns. These elements are hand painted, and are installed with rubber spacers in between to protect the pieces from damage. This also allows for a smoother fitting process. These elements can be arranged in any manner, up to client preference.
The Primula is composed of extruded majolica elements, which create the legs, and a slightly opaque glass top. Reminiscent of limpets and other primeval sea creatures, these components offer different views from the top and the side, adding interest at every angle.
Morales is a professional diver, deeply inspired by the aquatic world he is so close with. Much of his work is inspired by the sea or aquatic forms, allowing the artist to play with the intricacies of clay composition and color with each nuanced take. The top of the table is finished with the slightest of opacities and is rounded smooth on all edges, reminding us of sea glass found tumbling naturally onto rocky shores.
Helico is our next piece in the collection, the thick glass tabletop hand-finished to create beautiful texture on the underside of the table. This slightly opaque top reveals the forms of the extruded legs, ceramic pieces reminiscent of prehistoric trilobites and shells that dot the ocean floor. The irregularity of the organic shapes within the confines of the clay composition makes for a beautiful originality in the finished pieces. The legs are glued to the top for security, and the feet are capped with rubber to prevent damage.
Anemone is a side table like no other, hand sculpted using custom blends of clay from the hillsides of Caltagirone. Layer upon layer of glaze creates ribbons of color running horizontally along organic shapes, filleted softly on the sides. Each color combination is unique, relying on the consistency of the glaze to pull the color organically down the surface of the table.
Indeed, all of the glaze combinations are numbered with a color code describing the tone that’s inside. Morales is colorblind, working with collaborators to tune the finishes and combinations of clay and chemicals to client’s exact specifications. This requires much trial and error, and the artist keeps the experiments in composition to further inform future iterations.
To follow Morales’ work on Instagram, click here. For more from Paola Lenti, click here.
