Unique piece. One of a kind artwork.
Mosaic Bag — Asaroton
The Mosaic Bag emerges from a research process exploring the possibility of translating the language of ancient mosaic into contemporary forms, transforming an iconic object into an architectural surface.
The work is entirely handmade. The process begins with the shaping of the form, initially carved into polyurethane, from which a plaster counter-mould is produced. Upon this structure, a solid and durable body is constructed, reinforced with a metal mesh and cement core, conceived to fully support the mosaic covering.
The bag is entirely covered in tesserae, including its interior. The surface is treated as a fragment of ancient flooring, ideally removed from its original context and rendered plastic, as though stone material could be shaped with the softness of clay.
The iconographic repertoire draws inspiration from the Asaroton floors of Rome and Aquileia: residual elements of a banquet — lobster claws, fish bones, eggs, figs, walnuts, cherries, shells, sea urchins, fish heads, leaves and grape remains, hazelnuts, chicken feet — are recomposed into a fragmented narrative suspended between order and dispersion.
Grouting has been intentionally excluded from the figurative elements, allowing the material rhythm and vibration of each individual tessera to emerge. The signature is integrated into the handle as a mark of authenticity and continuity with the structure of the work.
While maintaining a functional purpose — personal objects may be placed inside — the Mosaic Bag exists at the boundary between sculpture and design, between object and architecture.
Weight: 2.8 kg.
The Vision
My works originate from the observation of ancient mosaic art and the desire to place it within a contemporary context. Not as quotation, but as dialogue.
I am interested in the contrast between eras, surfaces and visual languages: classical mosaic placed alongside essential forms, design and fashion. Projects such as the Mosaic Bag embody this tension, translating a millenary technique into an iconic object of the present.
The encounter between modern space and ancient material does not soften their differences — it amplifies them, and it is precisely within this distance that beauty reveals itself.
Each work emerges from a rigorous process of research: from the selection of materials to the choice of stones, down to the construction of every tessera, each phase is guided by meticulous attention.
I favour natural materials — marble and stone — for their ability to carry time, weight and memory. Asaroton is the place where technique and vision converge, giving mosaic a renewed presence within the contemporary world.
