pietro terzini carves street art into antolini stone for milan design week

‘I WANT IT WOW’ to open in milan

Antolini MilanoDuomo Stoneroom teams up with Milanese artist Pietro Terzini to host an exhibition during Milan Design Week 2023, where street art meets the eternal beauty of natural stone. Terzini is known for his contemporary which convey short-form yet poignant messages through graffiti-style statements. Through the use of Antolini’s cutting-edge technology, the installation ‘I WANT IT WOW’ harnesses this style with a combination of LEDs and carvings.

At the heart of this interdisciplinary project is Antolini’s Natural Stone, which serves as the precious canvas on which the artist’s visionary statements come to life. The works are inspired by his unique view of life and his admiration for Antolini’s expertise. Using a high-pressure jet of water, Terzini carves his statements into the surfaces of some of the brand’s most spectacular stones from the Exclusive Collection, including Brèche Fantastique, Dalmata, and Calcite Azul. While the show is set to open to the public on April 17th, 2023, designboom visits Antolini MilanoDuomo Stoneroom to meet with the artist and learn more about the spirit of his art.

‘AFFAIR’ | images © Pietro Terzini and Antolini

pietro terzini transforms antolini stone

Other stones such as Antolini‘s Bianco Lasa|Covelano Vena Oro, Amazonite, and Noirblanc are meticulously shaped into perfectly crafted lettering by Pietro Terzini, filling the voids and becoming the ‘ink’ that completes the artist‘s messages. The ancient inlay technique, which is a hallmark of the brand’s creative DNA, brings together stones with distinct geological formations, colors, and mineral compositions, resulting in chromatic and material contrasts that create a WOW effect, giving the installation its name.

‘Good things take more or less 190 million years,’ ‘Made by earth designed with heart’ and ‘Nothing is written in stone’ are the three claims that originated, on the internal surfaces of the double-sided wings facing via San Clemente, the three inlays entitled respectively ‘MOMENT,’ ‘NO MISTAKES’ and ‘CHANGE.’

‘AFFAIR’

glowing lettering and optical illusions

Among the highlights of the exhibition is ‘AFFAIR,’ a bright pop statement that reads ‘Do you want to take a bath with me?’ This glowing sign floats above a Lumix crystal tub, inviting visitors to ‘abandon inhibitions and let themselves go to experiences of pure pleasure.’ ‘The Perception Wall,’ a focal point of Antolini MilanoDuomo Stoneroom, becomes the medium through which Pietro Terzini conveys his deepest message, which is revealed only at the end of the exhibition path: ‘Nothing is as it seems.’ This thought-provoking statement serves as an invitation to embrace life with a spirit of exploration and self-discovery.

‘MOMENTS’

‘The I WANT IT WOW exhibition project stimulates new proposals for combining art, design and innovation, with the beauty of Mother Nature’s masterpieces at the center. The harmonious fusion of these three areas tells of the infinite processing possibilities applicable to stone thanks to the support of technology,’ says Alberto Antolini, Chief Executive Officer of Antolini Italy.

‘In this case, in order to be able to transpose the creative concept of the artist Pietro Terzini onto the stone, the application of the inlay technology was fundamental, followed by a phase of craftsmanship linked to Antolini’s know-how, which foresees that the hollow and solid stone is assembled by hand. The process ends with the polishing of the stone to enhance the perspective effects and the inlays.’

‘CHANGE’
‘NO MISTAKES’