ENIGMA Atelier presents the “Italia Iconica” collection with an extraordinary series of Moor's Heads , all inspired by Sicilian beauty and reinterpreted in a contemporary key with a nod to the lively and bold aesthetics of Pop Art .
The Moro heads, a symbol of history and tradition, become the protagonists of a new visual narrative through the fusion of traditional workmanship , innovative materials and contemporary artistic concepts . Each sculpture, created with care and skill, is a tribute to beauty and cultural diversity.
ENIGMA Atelier
Lipari Woman
Lipari Woman
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There are those who say that the moon shines like it shines in Lipari nowhere else in the world.
Could it be because of the ancestral reflection that echoes on the walls of his Castle?
We cannot know this, meanwhile, the interpretation of ENIGMA Atelier.
L. 19 x I. 18 x H. 34 cm
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The History of Sicilian Moor's Heads
The myth has origins in a Sicily dominated by the Moors around the year 1000. The scene takes place in the Arab neighborhood of Palermo, today known as the Kalsa.
The story is told of a girl confined to her home by her father's jealousy who, as her only consolation, let her take care of the plants on her balcony.
One day, a young Moro soldier, known for his beauty, passed by and was so struck by it that he declared himself with great ardor. The young woman, fascinated by the boy, soon convinced herself to free herself from her father's yoke and returned his love with the same intensity.
However, when she discovered that her beloved had to return to his family in the East, the young woman, betrayed and humiliated, decided to take revenge by the light of the moon.
He waited for the Moro to fall asleep to take his life so he could always keep him with him. He cut off his head and planted a basil shoot inside it, known at the time as the herb of sovereigns, thus creating a vase to display on his balcony.
He watered it daily with his tears of pain which made the aromatic plant grow luxuriantly.
The neighbors and passers-by, won over by the luxuriant growth of the plant in that particular pot, had terracotta pots made with the same features.
Giovanni Boccaccio will tell us a second version of the legend of the Moor's heads in the stories of his Decameron, three hundred years later and directly in Messina, telling us about Lisabetta and Lorenzo.
The fine workmanship
The technique used to create these sculptures begins in Caltagirone with ceramic processing as per the artisan tradition.
Once the first ceramic sculpture has been obtained, we move on to the modeling phase of the first mold which is followed by various manual phases of refining and remodeling the silicone mold.
For the final creation of the artefacts, we mix marble dust with a low percentage of resin , giving them a unique consistency and brilliance on which the particular metallic finish adheres, obtained through five painting phases .
The use of colored pigments adds further depth and intensity to the sculptures in the final finishing layer , creating vibrant contrasts that recall the vivid accents of Pop Art .
They are full shapes with an upper recess that acts as an object holder and are made in four exclusive colors: Lipari Silver, Panarea Blue, Vulcano Red, Taormina Green.
ENIGMA Atelier fully embraces Pop Art which, with its philosophy of reinterpretation and reworking of the symbols and common objects of mass culture, is reflected in this collection through the bold use of colours, the repetition of iconic shapes and the ironic appropriation of visual elements.
Through the “Italia Iconica” home decor collection, the creative factory celebrates the timeless beauty of Sicily and explores the concept of cultural identity in a contemporary context , inviting viewers to reflect on the intersections between tradition and technology, history and the present.