MATERIALS

From interior’s decoration to the passion for finishing materials. The research of mixes, dust alchemy and color mixtures. Franco Saladino appropriates the techniques of old Masters and of De Luigi family’s workforce, venetian decorators and trustworthy of the architect-master Carlo Scarpa.

 

 

RESEARCH

Franco Saladino researches, explores and experiments materials and tools, shaking up the concept of traditional decoration, coming to an expressive maturity, giving new shape and dignity to poor and ancient materials such as lime, marble dust, sand, cocciopesto, earth powders, oxides and water.

In his life-long journey through study and tradition, hours spent working in his studio and in work sites, with the humility of the artisan whose expert eye is able to see the poetry of physical work, who can spend his time in the perfect detail of his finishing, he comes to the experimentation of techniques to express his own interior world of emotions, with an innovative, multiform and personal chromatic language.

The pieces generated from this don’t have standard dimensions, every fantasy takes form on different spaces. We have got pieces going from 1m x 1m to 2,5m x 1,50m.

 

 

TECNIQUE

It is based on painting with natural colors (earth powders or oxides) on an thin layer of lime plaster, white concrete and marble dust. All materials are organic, the decorative technique is executed with absolute environmental awareness and meticulous waste recycling. The base is given by a panel of expanded polyurethane that, during time, has been replaced with layered wood. The technique can be considered a Contemporary Fresco, adapted to the new chromatic techniques knowledge.

The process is laborious and it takes lots of time because of the drying requested among passages. The chromatic effects derive from the reaction between earth pigments and specific solutions.

The final result is a perfectly smooth piece. The characteristic of this technique is the special treatment of the colors that, once completely absorbed, gives a visual effect of chromatic depth. Such passage bestows an amazing diversity of colors, lights and abstract representations to the panels.