Nerosicilia's lava stone is quarried from an ancient lava flow on the slopes of Mount Etna, dating back to the 1600s. The stone is carefully selected and cut into blocks, then processed in specially patented ovens. This long and meticulous process exposes the material to high temperatures, allowing for the creation of various exclusive finishes, depending on the degree of firing. Year after year, through collaborations with international designers, these finishes are shaped and transformed into new style visions. 

Like the one proposed by Rodolfo Dordoni, who, at the 2019 Salone del Mobile, interpreted the unique characteristics of lava stone for the first time through the Gemme collection, a project with a strong aesthetic impact.

The architect and designer asked Nerosicilia to use a highly porous stone known as "occhio di pernice" (partridge eye), sourced from the most recent and superficial lava flow. The goal was to embellish the stone with recycled glass drippings that penetrate through its pores, rather than merely resting on the surface. Thanks to its light color, the "occhio di pernice" stone retains the various shades imparted by the glass, creating unique color nuances and appearing as though precious gems are embedded within it. In this way, Dordoni leverages the stone's natural porosity and, with the technology provided by Nerosicilia, elevates its uniqueness.

New creative synergies but also consolidated collaborations: at the Salone, Nerosicilia presents Palazzo 700, the new series of decorations from the Palazzo collection, designed in 2018 by Piero Lissoni. Created with the intention of evoking traditional wooden floors with a new stylistic language, the Palazzo collection uses the warm, dark tones of lava stone which, worked by Nerosicilia with glossy glass screen printing, transforms classic styles into a sort of precious lava filigree. Palazzo 700 offers three surfaces – laNera, enneUno and enneDue (the latter never used for decorations) – and three new 40x40cm decorations, available in black and white.

In Milan, Nerosicilia also presents the new collection Drawings, designed by Massimo Barbini and Giovanni Salerno of Jpeglab Studio. 

Artists have often, at some point in their creative journey, engaged with and paid homage to the works of other artists, whether past or contemporary ones. Consider Picasso's reinterpretation of Velázquez's "Las Meninas", which was itself inspired by Van Eyck's "Portrait of the Arnolfini Couple", or contemporary works like those of London-based artist Ryan Gander, who recently reimagined Sol LeWitt's Incomplete Cube Sculptures for BASE/Progetti per l'Arte in Florence. In this spirit, the project "Drawings" was born, drawing inspiration from Sol LeWitt's "Wall Drawings".

"We envisioned the lava stone of Nerosicilia as our canvas, upon which we could draw linear forms, arcs and lines, minimal and universal. It is an interpretation of LeWitt's work using a natural raw material, lava, fused with recycled glass dust from discarded TV monitors and PCs." 

Technique: silkscreen printing with recycled glass (pc monitor and tv) on Nerosicilia – Salone del Mobile installation: 320x480x2cm – Installation Outside Exhibition Interior 18: 320x200x2 cm

FuoriSalone

Not only Salone. The three brands are present at several FuoriSalone events:

• - Interior 18, Via Solferino 18
• - "La Porta dei Sognatori Human Spaces", State University of Milan, Via Festa del Perdono 7 
• - Event IN SCENE by Paola Lenti, industrial spaces of Via Orobia 15
• - Surfaces Partner at Boffi, Via Solferino 11

Three brands and one philosophy

To mass-produce while utilizing cutting-edge technology, yet with the rigorous craftsmanship typically reserved for unique pieces, and with full respect for the environment. This is the philosophy of industrial craftsmanship that has always driven Nerosicilia and Mosaicomicro, two Sicilian brands that respectively work with lava stone and recycled glass to create surfaces of high technical and aesthetic value. These two production processes are united by a deep love for the region and its resources. Through continuous investment in research and innovation, both brands have expanded their horizons, offering new and diverse creative ideas to the world of architecture and design. 

The evolution continues and the Nerosicilia and Mosaicomicro expands with Pietrapece a new brand where another native stone becomes a source of inspiration for original artistic creations. Three brands, three materials, and three distinct types of products, each with a strong and recognizable identity, all united by the shared inspirational value of industrial craftsmanship.

A concept also conveyed by the exhibition space at the Salone del Mobile, designed by Rodolfo Dordoni  structured into three distinct areas, each space highlights the unique characteristics of the individual brands.