Magna Graecia is a terracotta collection designed by Antonio Aricò for Seletti and presented at Maison&Objet in January 2023. The name refers to the Greek cities of Southern Italy, and the pieces incorporate their vocabulary: capitals, meander friezes, waves, antique busts, and amphorae with ...
Magna Graecia is a terracotta collection designed by Antonio Aricò for Seletti and presented at Maison&Objet in January 2023. The name refers to the Greek cities of Southern Italy, and the pieces incorporate their vocabulary: capitals, meander friezes, waves, antique busts, and amphorae with combat scenes. Aricò chose terracotta for its ordinariness, “an apparently very poor material with which one can create magic,” he told designboom, and for its raw color and irregular thickness, which he celebrates rather than corrects. The pieces are formed using handmade molds, explaining why no two are exactly alike: the hue and surface finish vary from one piece to the next. The designer envisions them for a terrace, garden, or veranda just as much as for a living room or entryway. However, Seletti provides no information regarding glazing, frost resistance, or waterproofing: for outdoor use, a sheltered spot remains the prudent choice. All pieces in the series share the same clay, allowing them to be grouped together without worrying about differences in finish.
This vase is the pink version. The head forms the body of the vase, with the opening at the top. Dimensions: W 28 × D 24 × H 32 cm.
Where the design comes from
Magna Graecia refers to the cities founded by Greek colonists on the coasts of Southern Italy and Sicily beginning in the 8th century BCE. Aricò, who was born and is based in Calabria, draws inspiration from it motif by motif: the Dorico vase cites the Doric order, the Greca vase the meander frieze, the Onda vase the tracing of a wave, the statues recall the Riace bronzes, and the head vases revive the tradition of Caltagirone ceramic heads. The capital no longer sits atop anything; it serves as a base or pedestal. The collection forms an archaeological repertoire treated without solemnity, which the publisher promotes as contemporary irony.
