Germogli
Curated by Nicola Maggi
Designer: Nicola Maggi
Company: Quarra Italia
The marble slab, the “skin” of the stone, is born from what remains, from what is discarded. And yet it is precisely there, in that wounded skin, that the material reveals its deepest truth: the violent yet necessary separation from the mountain, etched into its veins, its fractures and its countless nuances.
A living, irregular surface, never the same twice, it preserves an ancient memory of tension and transformation. Every mark is a trace, every variation in colour an unrepeatable event.
The artisan’s hand does not impose, but listens and accompanies, allowing the material to speak and creating a sensory dialogue that engages both sight and touch.
And then, unexpectedly, life. Citrus trees emerge, light and vibrant, laden with fruit and light. Their colours illuminate the space, their fragrances inhabit it silently. They bring with them a sense of joy, freshness and hope — like a breath renewed.
Here, nature returns, quietly reclaiming what is hers. Without asking, without forcing. Following invisible laws greater than our own will.
And in the encounter between stone and life, between wound and rebirth, the work becomes a presence: a fragile yet powerful balance that continues to evolve.
The Work
The Creator
Nicola Maggi
Designer
Biography
Nicola Maggi, born in 1966, attended the Art High School in Lucca and the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, where he refined his skills in painting and sculpture.
His research into applied arts led him to open a carpentry workshop, where he also began restoring objects in order to understand their construction and craftsmanship.
Known for his performances exploring the concept of the home within legal boundaries, Maggi combines a remarkable ability for controlled provocation with a strong engagement with the collective.
His artistic research later led him to painting with tar, reflecting on the degradation of seas polluted by industrial residues. In his work, he discovers the sensuality of the grotesque and brings it into dialogue with a political dimension, transforming the artwork into a stage for social critique.
He does not shy away from confronting difficulties head-on. Instead, they are swept up in the force of his vitality and transformed into something positive. The power of his joy becomes one of the most distinctive and significant elements of Maggi’s artistic practice.
The company involved
Quarra Italia was established following a recent alliance with Quarra Stone Co. (USA) for the acquisition of the historic Studio d'Arte Franco Cervietti, internationally renowned for its exceptional technical expertise in marble sculpture.
The union of two intimately complementary worlds enables Quarra Italia to bring the refinement of Italian craftsmanship to the most demanding projects, while preserving the authenticity of our heritage. Our atelier represents a rare synthesis of the patience of traditional sculptural craftsmanship and the precision of cutting-edge technologies: a unique alchemy that allows us to bring to life visions once considered impossible.
Our production encompasses:
- Bespoke sculpture: from refined gallery works to monumental public installations.
- Philological and certified replicas: reproductions of historic masterpieces for museums, foundations and cultural institutions.
- Design and functional art: bespoke furnishings, tables, exclusive worktops, stone lighting fixtures and artistic partition walls.
- Architectural expression: large-scale façades, structural elements and complex indoor and outdoor projects that transform buildings into landmarks of contemporary architecture.
Quarra Italia: where, in the hands of passionate masters, marble transcends its geological origins to become pure emotion, crystallised in form.