NATIVO ATMOSFERA - Умывальник

Azzurra Ceramica pays tribute to Alessandro Mendini: on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of its founding, Azzurra presents the reissue of the “Nativo” washbasins with the “Atmosfera” decoration by the versatile Milanese designer, architect, and creative.‎ Among Alessandro Mendini’s endless creative talents, in 2016 he took on the challenge of creating a series of decorations for Azzurra Ceramica’s “Nativo” washbasins.‎ After exploring and analyzing the virtuoso legacy of master ceramists and the company archive, Mendini’s multifaceted personality - supported by his granddaughter Claudia Mendini and in dialogue with Azzurra’s artisans - decided to design a decoration on the existing elongated forms of the suspended “Nativo” washbasin, originally designed by Giovanni Levanti.‎ On the shape of the small yet compact sanitary fixture—whose forms are inspired by a tree trunk - the Milanese artist conceived a lively, abstract, and particulate pattern: a constellation of dots superimposed on the white surface, available in Klein blue, black, and polychrome variants.‎ Thus was born the colorful “Atmosfera” motif, which Azzurra Ceramica is reissuing today to celebrate its 40th anniversary and which will be presented at Cersaie Bologna 2025.‎ In Mendini’s creative universe, the decorative intervention on the design of an object originally created by someone else represented a game, a singular challenge with the previous author, generating remarkable suggestions.‎ A meeting / clash / blend of different energies, an emblematic feature of Mendini’s work.‎ The guiding hand of the design process was that of his granddaughter Claudia Mendini, an artist who, together with Azzurra’s skilled artisans, created the color tones and even the brushes used to stipple the washbasin decoration before it was glazed and fired in the kilns.‎ "I am fascinated by Azzurra’s culture, so virtuous in techniques, forms, and colors when creating its bathroom objects.‎ Its vast and articulated catalog lists a remarkable sequence of high-design products, highly refined in aesthetics, surface touch, and functional qualities.‎ Beginning a collaboration with Azzurra, we thought of creating hand-painted decorations on an object already designed by another author, with a Re-design attitude that is part of my work tradition.‎ We chose a small washbasin with perfect forms, designed by my friend Giovanni Levanti, who accepted the game.‎ A particulate ornament, called ATMOSFERA, superimposes on certain strategic parts of the washbasin body a series of small dots, either polychrome or only blue or black, like constellations.‎ Therefore, ATMOSFERA has both a polychrome and a blue version.‎ Thus were born three hand-decorated washbasins for Azzurra, created with great mastery, with a single firing at very high temperature.‎" Alessandro Mendini, March 2016 "A wonderful experience to follow step by step the process of creating the washbasin.‎ Working together with Azzurra’s master ceramists, specifically creating the colors and brushes for the dotted decoration in the beautiful workshop, gives an almost alchemical flavor to the entire creative process.‎" - Claudia Mendini, March 2016