Born into a family of ceramists in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, Massimo Orsini started handling clay as a child. In the early 2000s, he acquired Mutina—a once-traditional tile factory housed in a 1970s Angelo Mangiarotti–designed building on the outskirts of Modena. From making tiles consisting of thousands of hand-arranged mosaic pieces to designing 3-D terra-cotta bricks that double as room dividers, Mutina has quickly established a niche for itself at the intersection of contemporary art and interior design. This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Two Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Design Issue 41 Tile Making in Mallorca Biel Huguet charts the history of his island in colorful cement. Design Partnerships Issue 39 Nathalie Du Pasquier An interview with the painter turned tile designer. Design Issue 34 Josephine Akvama Hoffmeyer Copenhagen’s queen of color makes the case for “weird” shades and dark rooms. Design Issue 49 At Work With: Muller Van Severen How a home renovation birthed one of Europe’s most distinguished design duos. Design Fashion Issue 49 Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung An inquiry into costume design. Design Issue 49 Good Enough The case for plainness.
Arts & Culture Design Issue 41 Tile Making in Mallorca Biel Huguet charts the history of his island in colorful cement.
Design Partnerships Issue 39 Nathalie Du Pasquier An interview with the painter turned tile designer.
Design Issue 34 Josephine Akvama Hoffmeyer Copenhagen’s queen of color makes the case for “weird” shades and dark rooms.
Design Issue 49 At Work With: Muller Van Severen How a home renovation birthed one of Europe’s most distinguished design duos.
