Andrea Mancuso
Mixed media sculptor
Milan, Italy
Boundless creativity in modern design
- Andrea designs and creates playful pieces from the widest array of materials
- His projects intend to tell a story in a visual and direct way
- He produces small series and limited editions of functional and sculptural pieces
Multi-disciplinary artisan Andrea Mancuso has always experimented with materials and forms. His wide-ranging curiosity and creativity have driven him to produce a vast variety of items, from furniture to lamps, dinnerware and site-specific installations. The common thread of Andrea’s practice is an insatiable interest in materials and their potential, and a creative freedom that sometimes pushes the boundaries of design itself. His educational background was among the most traditional, beginning at La Sapienza in Rome. “Back in the early 2000s, industrial design seemed to be the only option in Italy,” he says. But after a spell of working for designer Nigel Coates in London, Andrea found a new creative expression for his skills, and has not looked back. Today he creates functional and sculptural pieces from glass, metal, stone and wood that defy categorisation. He teaches on the master programme in interior design at NABA Academy in Milan.
INTERVIEW
One that is understandable and enjoyable for the audience because it strikes a chord with our collective memory. Part of the success of a project lies in the timing. Being ahead of your time does not mean you are a genius, it means that nobody is ready to get your message yet.
Nigel Coates accepted me as an intern in his studio and I lived in London for six years for the experience. London was then buzzing with makers and designers who produced their own collections and told their own stories. I understood that it was exactly what I wanted to do.
The one I have not used yet! I experiment with many materials, from marble to ceramics, wood, concrete and various metals. Out of all of them, blown glass proved to be the most challenging. In the furnace, everything happens quickly and you do not have complete control over the process.
The Sgraffito marble tables collection, which were inspired by primitive stone inscriptions. To produce them, I etched thousands of marks on the white marble surface by hand. It is a long and meditative process. I could not make a mistake or I would have had to throw away the entire slab.
