Last September, in Verona Italy, the 57th edition of Marmomac was held and Italian company Antolini featured an amazing stand of products.
Alberto Antolini, CEO of the historic company founded in Verona in 1956 explains: “We are very proud to be participating in the 2023 edition of Marmomac, one of the natural stone industry’s most prestigious events and an extraordinary opportunity to share our passion and our discoveries with both industry professionals and those who truly appreciate beauty.”
Antolini’s top products were showcased on a stand that intentionally distanced itself from the “normal” trade fair displays with a temporary installation which aimed to display rather than show emotional surfaces by discovering the infinite potential of the natural stones in Antolini’s collections.
The resulting space had a distinctly museum-like atmosphere, ready to be explored and discovered by visitors. Carefully curated by Alessandro La Spada, who is also the creative mind behind some of Antolini’s most eclectic collections, the stand was enclosed in a neutral monolith – a white box – that conceals its contents from view, revealed only at the entrance.
A play of transparencies is made possible by the translucence of Cristallo Vitrum, a natural marvel that evokes the image of a sheet of glacial ice. Visitors were welcomed in a reception area that is itself an element of wonder, centred on a featured stone; Patagonia Vitrum, natural quartz embellished with different types of natural minerals that are book-matched and displayed on the wall and in the sculptural reception counter. Backlighting adds to its impressive visual impact.
The visitors journey continues into the Museo Infinitum, a gallery where natural stone becomes a work of art. Finishes from the Textures+ Collection were enclosed in refined, polished brass frames to become sculptures displayed offset from the wall. To the right of the gallery was a backdrop that seems to float in the air, with stones from the Exclusive Collection set flush with the wall as tru works of art. The reflective surface of the ceiling duplicates and mirrors the exposed surfaces, similar to the effect of bookmatched installations.
Visitors were wowed by the display of crystals from the Antonlini collections, showcased on cantilevered, backlit displays. Two sculptural seats, also made of crystal, offered the ideal location for contemplating the expressive power of these natural stones. The starring role is reserved for Antolini’s third natural stone Amazonite, a quartzite featuring enchanting turquoise tones that contrast dramatically with the emerald green background, alternating with warmer and more neutral nuances.
For more information visit antolini.com/en/
