Federica Biasi is Decoratori Bassanesi’s new artistic director

Desert Impression, an immersive photographic project born out of the collaboration between Federica Biasi, the firm’s new artistic director, and the South African photographer Andrea Olivo.

Decoratori Bassanesi relies on the artistic direction of Federica Biasi, a renowned Italian designer, to convey the beauty of its surfaces in which decoration is combined with an ongoing quest for contemporary solutions made from cutting-edge materials.

Federica Biasi will work towards extending the canons of tradition, which has always been Decoratori Bassanesi’s mission, developing a new visual identity capable of enhancing the firm’s historical essence and, at the same time, the material and poetry of the production processes, both of which are themes very dear to the new artistic director

Biasi states: “Designing claddings is not just about designing a product, but about imagining a space through a distinct, minimalist and harmonious architectural vision. My aim for Decoratori Bassanesi is to convey the sophistication of the company’s surfaces through its tradition and the innovative outlook of the designers called upon to develop the new collections.”

The Wabi-Sabi cladding collection, designed by Federica, is emblematic of the new stamp the designer wants to place on the firm. Its name literally means “imperfect beauty”, a concept that characterises Japanese craftsmanship and artisanal processes based on the acceptance of small imperfections.

A further example of the direction in which Biasi intends to take the company can be seen in the decision to call upon the renowned Danish studio Norm Architects, adding to the series of prestigious design names that have been creating avant-garde collections with a strong identity for Decoratori Bassanesi since 2008.

The COPENHAGEN collection by Norm Architects, presented exclusively at Cersaie, was born out of the observation of the surrounding urban environment and the study of the architectural history of the place where Norm, famous for its thoughtful and minimalist approach to architecture, was founded. This has resulted in a collection that highlights the city’s material details, superimposing two distinct stone and plaster façade surfaces found in the old quarters of Copenhagen, in a new interpretation that has led to the creation of a textured surface.

Paolo Serraiotto, founder and chair of Decoratori Bassanesi, also states how: “By entrusting the creative direction to Federica Biasi, Decoratori Bassanesi is continuing to explore the full potential of ceramic material through innovative and bold collections distinguished by high quality standards. We rely on Biasi’s vision to make the most of our catalogue and expertise, and to further expand our boundaries through new collections and collaborations.”

Desert Impression, the first communication campaign resulting from the collaboration between Federica Biasi and the South African photographer Andrea Olivo, invited to interpret the company’s products with his sensual photographic style, will be presented during Cersaie.

His shots represent the synthesis and crossover of seemingly distant worlds: the sensuality of the human body, fashion and Andrea Olivo’s cinematic and photographic references with Decoratori Bassanesi’s innovative and refined ceramic claddings. In Olivo’s images, the models, enveloped in the warm light of a metaphysical desert, are asked to “wear” the collections, becoming perfect canvases for imprinting with the textures of the products and thereby implicitly illustrating the textured and three-dimensional effect of the surfaces.

The campaign theme is also reflected in the stand design, once again developed by Federica: a Moroccan kasbah where visitors will be able to admire the collections by Sebastian Herkner with Tartan, Keiji Takeuchi with Shades, Margherita Rui with Pin and Paola Navone with the Bonbon collection.