Forms of Light: a conversation with Lorenzo about La Corallina’s lamp bases

The lamp bases you offer have very recognizable, almost archetypal forms. I’m thinking especially of pinecones. Where does this choice come from?

“The pinecone is a form that exists before us and, in a certain sense, will continue after us. It is a natural sign that becomes symbolic already in antiquity: in the Roman world it was linked to fertility, abundance, the continuity of life. But it is in the Mediterranean, and particularly in Sicily, that this form acquires an almost ritual density. Ceramic pinecones, placed at the entrance of houses or on balconies, are a wish, a protection, a promise.When we choose a pinecone base, we are not simply choosing a decorative form: we are bringing into a domestic space a layering of meanings. The light that is then switched on above it is not neutral—it is a light that inherits this memory.”

There is a strong variety in the surfaces: smooth, dotted, almost “spiny.” Is it only an aesthetic matter?

“I would say no. The surface is where the form unfolds over time. The pinecones you see, with those minute regular protrusions, are the result of an artisanal translation of a natural datum: the very structure of the seed, its repetitive geometry.But there is also a question of light. A smooth surface reflects; an articulated surface retains, fractures, diffuses. When a lamp is turned on, these small variations become decisive: the light breaks, softens, becomes more intimate. It is an invisible work, but a fundamental one.”

Where do these objects come from? One senses a plurality of hands, of traditions.

“Yes, and that is something we care deeply about. We do not produce in a single place: we work with different makers, especially between Tuscany and Sicily. These are regions with a long ceramic tradition, but also different sensibilities.Tuscany has a certain restraint, a formal sobriety; Sicily, on the other hand, has a more expansive relationship with color and symbol. We try to hold these two souls together, without forcing them. Each lamp base is the result of a dialogue: between those who make it, those who choose it, and ultimately those who welcome it into their home.”

BASI LAMPADE