giulio iacchetti references an ox-shaped sardinian carnival mask to design ‘boès’ mirror

to celebrate the rich history of sardinia, giulio iacchetti has teamed up with traditional wood craftsman, diego moretti of ebanisteria meccanica, to create the ‘boès’ mirror and coat rack. the design is inspired by one of the most famous masks of the sardinian carnival of ottana and it marks the first of a series of projects by iacchetti for ebanisteria meccanica.

images by max rommel

the shape of the boès mirror echos the shape of an ox head, which is one of the masks traditionally worn during sardinia’s carnival of ottana. in sardinian folklore the boès and the merdulès (typical figures of the carnival) symbolize the comparison between primordial instinct and reason. in homage to this traditional tale, giulio iacchetti‘s concept behind the design is that by mirroring ourselves, each of us masquerades as a boes, becoming an animal for an instant. 

the design pays homage to the sardinian carnival of ottana and the mysterious animal masks that are typically worn

commenting on the partnership, giulio iacchetti says, ‘in the project with ebanisteria meccanica I certainly see the potential to create a bridge between past and present, recovering the small stories of sardinia and its great artisan heritage, whose essence is enclosed in small villages. sardinia expresses a great number of symbols, archetypes and unique materials, and certainly represents a wonderful design territory to explore together with ebanisteria meccanica.’

the mirror comprises two ‘horns’ and a small ring to hang your umbrella or dog leash

diego moretti, owner of ebanisteria meccanica

giulio iacchetti and diego moretti

project info:

project name: boès

design: giulio iacchetti

client: ebanisteria meccanica

date: october 2020

photography: max rommel

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.