Simone Desirò

Scagliola maker

©Paolo Sepioni

©Tamara Baum

Ancient veins for modern design

Simone comes from a family of decorators
Scagliola took him into the world of design
He still learns from his grandpa’s drawings

As a young decorator, Simone Desirò decided to devote his energy to the ancient craft of scagliola, following the celebrated tradition of Rima, a Walser village in the Piedmont mountains, close to the Swiss border. Scagliola, also known as imitation marble, is made by mixing selenite, water and rabbit-skin glue with pigments and shows a veined, polished surface. It’s a fine plaster, mainly used in architecture and sculpture – it was very popular in the 19th century. Passionate about his job and looking for contemporary ways to revive it, Simone has found new places to demonstrate this technique, designing objects, home furnishings and collaborating with renowned designers and galleries. “Not only columns – Scagliola has much more to give.”

Interview

©Paolo Sepioni

©Paolo Sepioni

How did you become a craftsman?: It requires a similar disposition to decoration: my maternal grandfather and my father were both decorators. I’m still fascinated by the drawings left by my granddad. I left school to work with my dad, then I attended some courses about trompe-l'œil.
Did you learn the art of scagliola from a master?: I was lucky enough to learn from the last great master of scagliola in Rima, Silvio Dellavedova, in 2004. I used to join him on site and work with him. In 2016, I was shortlisted in a regional contest: that’s how I began to work with designers and galleries.
What do you like most about your job?: I like everything, but above all I love devising new pieces and cooperating with designers – especially in the field of interior design. It is so stimulating and it takes a lot of research. Innovation is a top-priority – if we want to save this craft.
Where do you find inspiration?: Scagliola is an impasto of pigmented matter you see in section, so anything cut in slice can be a source of inspiration, from nature – minerals, vegetables – to cooking and pastry-making. Anything can be a suggestion: even the cracking asphalt in the streets.

Simone Desirò is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2008