Martina Ciaccio, the Geometrics of Sicilian Marble

Sicilian, art lover, and naturally creative, Martina Ciaccio, an architect and interior designer never stopped studying and gave birth to her creations. Real installations, pieces of furniture, and even jewels. An eclectic personality that Sicilian Secrets interviewed for you.

Born in Sciacca, she was always inspired by her homeland of Sicily. Martina Ciaccio, an interior designer, understands that taking care of only the living space is not enough. A brilliant mind that the artist was able to push out through her creations. A mix of ancient and modern that aims towards just one goal: beauty.

Q: From the idea to the project, how did your story as an entrepreneur begin?

A: I’m an architect, it’s what I have always done in my life and this is the wish I had when I was a child. Almost 30 years ago I opened my office of interior design but in the meantime, I was already cultivating the idea to split my work into two parts: residential design and art design. I never stopped studying and three years ago I decided that it was time to pursue my goal. So, I created my own company and this adventure began. I thought about a line of home furnishing accessories…the origin of everything.

Q: What’s the element of distinction of your collections?

A: My objects are made in marble, a daring choice. Historically, this material is used for sculpture, but to make an object contemporary it was important to imagine an installation that could have an application for everyday life. So, the idea of the marble lamps came about. I did some technological research and result of my collections was to even make the lampshade out of marble, a challenge from the point of view of statics, physics, and an uncertainty for the final result.

Q: The name of the collections by Martina Ciaccio sound Sicilian. What’s your relationship with Sicily?

A: I would say that this relationship is unavoidable, above all when we talk about art. We have a land rich in history, culture, folklore. It’s impossible not to be influenced. I put all of my Sicilian heritage into this project, it’s clear from the graphic and stylistic aspect. My attention was towards a specific era, the Baroque. An example is the Lambicca lamp from the Tanticchia collection, that, reworked with a modern touch, recalls the baroque candle holders…and weights 180 kilograms!

Q: But in your art there’s not only marble. Even jewels are fruits of your creativity. How did you get to this product mix?

A: It’s a nice story! The University of Palermo contacted me to present my work to the students, therefore I needed something easily transportable that at the base would have the same design, the same soul. So, I thought about the jewels. From the sculpture Dindia from the collection Ficurinnia, the idea of the collection Duci came about. Unfortunately, the collaboration with the university never happened but, in any case, opened new horizons for me because I would have never thought about creating with some bijoux! In that moment, I already was an entrepreneur but had to understand how to penetrate the market. I contacted consorzio Arca in Palermo, my startup has been incubated for six months and now I’m looking towards the future.

Q: Talking about the future, what are the next steps for Martina Ciaccio?

A: We cannot stop! I point to the foreign markets, for example Tanticchia is perfect for the United Arab Emirates and Russia, Ficurinnia is more appropriate for the American target. The collection Duci is ok for both the national and international market, I like the idea of making the Italian design tangible even in our country. It’s an ambitious project but I’ll never give up.