Joining the Mutina team in 2010, the Japanese designer continues his research on textures deriving from nature, expanding the collection with new colours, glossy finishes and a new Mutina Edition, an object with an irregular and decorative surface.
Phenomenon is a ceramic project able to express textures deriving from nature in an original way, not simply to reproduce their look but to evoke an emotion. On the occasion of the new edition, Phenomenon tiles collection is enriched with 3 new colours – Blu, Rosa and Verde – which join the 4 historical ones – Bianco, Grigio, Fango and Nero –, each of which is offered on all the available elements: Honeycomb A, Honeycomb B, Rock, Air, Wind, Rain A, Rain B and Rain C.
The distinctive “powdery” effect is obtained by combining coloured bodies and dry colouring. This process makes it possible to develop a product in unglazed full-body porcelain stoneware which is characterised by a particular natural and tactile look and feel. In addition, the use of personalised mixtures allows for the creation of unique and original shades.
Phenomenon is a craft product: each element is pressed in the smallest possible size and precisely refined by hand to create a mix of technique and innovation, guaranteeing the highest quality.
The range also includes the new Phenomenon Glossy: the Honeycomb B, Rock and Rain A modules have been chosen to experiment the glossy finish for the first time, featuring the Bianco, Nero, Oro and Argento shades. The extremely small size of the tesserae has made it necessary to set up a new production process that combines industrial and craft approaches with the objective of making the finish stand out as much as possible: production is entirely by hand and the manufacturing process has been specially redesigned. The applied glazes bring out the effects of light and shadow, already present in the non-glazed version.
The Phenomenon tile is also available in the new Mutina Edition: Phenomenon Plate uses the Honeycomb module to create a design object with an irregular and incredibly decorative surface that recalls shapes and textures from the natural world, which has always been a great source of inspiration for Tokujin.
Phenomenon Plate is produced in glazed porcelain stoneware by spreading ceramic pieces randomly inside a circular mold and then pressing them by hand. This process creates an always different and unrepeatable end result, where imperfection becomes an aesthetic and formal added value. Each product is a precious, unique piece which is delivered stamped and numbered, denoting the designer’s creative spirit combined with Italian craftsmanship.
Another novelty for 2022 is the Botanica mosaic: with this project the Japanese designer expresses once again his deep fascination for the natural world, its different characteristics and the poetry of its forms, designing the first Mutina mosaic specially developed for floors.
“For the Botanica collection, I have created a design that expresses the beauty of nature in different forms, as if I were painting a landscape. Senses are a fundamental element of my creative process. Not only material and visual ones, such as touch and sight, but also more “abstract” ones, such as the sense of smell. I am constantly looking for something that is defined and perceived by all the five senses.”
The collection features two elements inspired by nature, the names and the lines: Seed, in 14x15 cm format, and Flower, in 15x17 cm format, both with a thickness of 9 mm. The modules are sold exclusively on net – Seed in a 39,9x23,1 cm format and Flower in a 40,3x23,1 cm format – and are available in White and Grey colours, offered in a super glossy finish and a matt wax-coated one which is extremely pleasant to the touch, and are suitable for floors and walls. This makes it possible to give the surfaces continuity, in which the mosaic becomes more or less emphasised depending on the colour of the grout.
Botanica is produced in non-rectified glazed porcelain stoneware, with an innovative digital system for the dry application of glazes. This process has made it possible to obtain a beautiful decorative effect which is brought out by the light and shadow effects created on the surface.
