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PROGETTI DI DESIGN 08
The full extent of the vivid, profound
complexity of the natural world is a
continuous source of inspiration for
Cristina Celestino’s work, particularly
the world of plants. “What fascinates
me and stimulates my imagination”,
explains the designer, “are the tiny details
of plants and flowers that follow precise
geometries and cosmic rules. This is a
source of inspiration which I cannot and
do not wish to get away from, and this
is precisely why you so often see these
forms in the architecture and furniture
that I design”. The Peonia armchair is no
exception, with its unusual structure that
recalls the petals of a peony bud. In an
organic, natural crescendo, the Peonia
family has evolved into a modular system
whose elements can be used to create
unusual interior design schemes.
The forms are instinctively associated for
each configuration and combine to create
another form, transforming via perpetual
declinations and reinterpretations.
Between art
and nature
— Q&A
— Do you still sketch by hand?
Yes. I find sketching really rewarding.
It helps me to express my creativity in a
more immediate and intuitive way.
— If you had to compare your design style
to an art movement, what would it be?
Postmodernism, because of its ability to
mix and reinterpret styles and concepts,
without obvious value hierarchies, keeping
cultural references and the origin of the
connections present but separate.
— What is the strangest or most unusual
thing that has inspired you for a design?
One of my first glass creations, the Deriva
vases, was inspired by fishing floats
normally hidden away beneath the surface
of the water, barely noticeable in our daily
life. I find it fascinating to reinvent objects
that generally escape our perception,
turning their conventions upside down by
altering sizes, functions and aesthetics.
