vincenzo de cotiis' crossing over showcases a research on contamination

recycled fibreglass, glass, stone, and metals are some materials renowned italian designer vincenzo de cotiis has used in his most recent collection titled crossing over. known for creating unique and limited edition projects that comment on the passage of time, his latest pieces investigate the idea of building a contemporary urban imagery where the cities we inhabit become the places of contamination and cultural displacement. 

all images courtesy of vincenzo de cotiis gallery

‘this is a journey,’ comments vincenzo de cotiis when reflecting on the collection. ‘an exploration in search of places, places I have seen and spaces that exist in my imagination. I have pursued cultures in search of symbols and iconographies that could overlap with mine.’

just like an ethnologist, vincenzo de cotiis studies cultures to find their differences and similarities within a given period, focusing on the ways they have contaminated each other. from tables structured by stilts that link the east to the republic of venice to wall paintings that echo the contradictions of cities, de cotiis believes it’s time to give birth to new symbols and new icons.

‘crossing over is research on contamination. all that is layered inside me, which belongs to me, but above all, what I still haven’t encountered yet.’

recovering materials was a fundamental part in the development of crossing over, where the activity itself became a vital part of the creative process. by combining the hand-picked materials, the pieces merge different realities that result in a new graphic language that takes cues from contemporary cities.

project info:

name: crossing over

designer: vincenzo de cotiis