COKI.
COKI BARBIERI
WORKING WITH ITALIAN MATTER
By Coki Barbieri
I design objects that begin with matter, not with trend. My practice is rooted in Italian natural materials, and in a type of research that is slow by necessity: sourcing rare mineral fragments, studying historic building principles, and developing stable, natural compounds in my laboratory before an object is allowed to exist as a finished piece.
In recent years, I have chosen a path that is deliberately uncommon in contemporary collectible design. I do not work with ceramics. I do not rely on kilns. I do not use resins, cement, or industrial binders. Instead, I build a natural composite stone from Italian mineral fragments and earth pigments, following principles that predate modern construction. For me, this is not nostalgia. It is a practical and ethical decision. It is a way to create durable objects while limiting energy-intensive production, and to remain faithful to a material intelligence that comes from the land itself.
Working with natural matter in this way means accepting constraints most designers avoid. Italian mineral pigments are difficult to source and often inconsistent. Each fragment behaves differently. Each formula has to be tested, refined, and repeated until it reaches stability. That is where most of my time goes, into what is not visible: research, trial, failure, calibration. Only after that process do I return to form.
This page exists to make one thing clear. Research is not a marketing layer added to an object. It is the foundation of how I work, and it determines what I consider good design: not excess, not spectacle, but control, responsibility, and presence. An object should bring something new into a home without asking for constant attention. It should feel bold, but never careless. Quiet, but never passive.
My collections are the result of this approach. Some pieces explore balance through assembly and precision. Others introduce fracture and tension, as a way to speak about transformation without turning it into decoration. Across all of them, the goal remains the same: to create objects that hold their own, materially and conceptually, and that can live with people over time.
Occasionally, I undertake a limited number of commissions based on existing forms and materials, or formal variations informed by my ongoing research. If you are an interior practice, a collector, or a retail partner interested in understanding availability or commissioning possibilities, you can reach me directly.
Coki Barbieri
Material & Craft Artist / Designer
Lives and works in Italy
P.IVA IT04373700402
Via Consolare, 148 - 47924 RIMINI - ITALY
COPYRIGHT COKI BARBIERI 2018-2026
COMMISSIONS & MATERIAL RESEARCH
Coki undertakes a limited number of commissions based on existing forms and materials, or formal variations on materials crafted by her in the laboratory.
cb@cokibarbieri.it