ExCinere

The result of more than three years of research and experimentation, “ExCinere” is a refined collection of volcanic-ash-glazed porcelain tiles suitable for both interior and exterior surfaces, from bathrooms to façade cladding. At this year’s Fuorisalone, Dzek and Formafantasma will present the new collection in a landscape of tiled architectural elements alongside various forms of volcanic ash that have been used to create the subtle, speckled glazes. The installation will explore the behaviour and transformation of this volatile raw material and its potential uses. Formafantasma has been researching and experimenting with volcanic lava as a design material since 2010. Its 2014 project De Natura Fossilium investigated the culture of lava in the Mount Etna and Stromboli regions of Italy. The project culminated in a series of expertly crafted glass, basalt and textile works. Formafantasma poignantly observes, “Mount Etna is a mine without miners – it is excavating itself to expose its raw materials.” Dzek was keen to build on this research and to make use of this abundant self- generating raw material to transform it into a useful architectural product. Although Volcanic ash and basalt rock appear to be inert, their high oxide content makes them complex and unpredictable to work with. Three years of exploding, imploding, cracking and caving finally yielded ExCinere’s balance of porcelain body, ash glaze, firing temperature and method. The glossy tones achieved from mixing and firing varying percentages and densities of volcanic matter are evocative of the dynamic landscape from which they come.