2 October 2025
Aquatic Creatures by Riccardo Capuzzo di Ceramica Bardelli
Aquatic Creatures: from the aquatic world to decorative ceramics
“These illustrations represent aquatic animals seen through a fantastical and exuberant lens—hyperbolic portraits of an enchanting marine world that we should understand and protect. Most of the illustrations are hand-drawn in pencil and then enriched with Indian ink. Afterwards, they are scanned at high resolution to faithfully preserve the visual qualities of the hand-drawn work.
In bringing these characters to life, I try to imagine their personalities, how they might interact with one another, and who might appreciate them. Above all, I wonder whether children would like them—the only ones who can truly change things, both in the water and on land.“
Riccardo Capuzzo
Over time, the boundless imagination of Riccardo Capuzzo gave birth to Aquatic Creatures.
Through sketches, drawings, and visionary projects, this artistic universe has evolved into an extraordinary home décor project, capable of transforming interiors into immersive sanctuaries—allowing people to be enveloped by the enchanting presence of the sea within their everyday spaces, whether in a private residence, a restaurant, or any shared environment.
After all, the allure of the ocean is irresistible, and its fascinating inhabitants naturally capture our attention.
But Aquatic Creatures is more than simple admiration: it is a journey into the soul of the depths, where each creation weaves narratives that captivate the senses and invite us to lose ourselves in Capuzzo’s imaginative abyss.
With this project, Capuzzo rekindles the mystery of the marine world, bringing back to life the poetic essence of whales, turtles, crabs, jellyfish, and other aquatic creatures. Too often, modern culture reduces them to mere biological entities, stripping away their magic. Here, instead, they reclaim their evocative power, breathing life into spaces where the spirit of the sea hovers, waiting to be rediscovered.
MONGOLFIERE
While watching a documentary on the ocean, Riccardo was struck by the sight of dolphins playfully nudging pufferfish—an interaction that releases toxins, bringing the dolphins a sense of euphoria and joy. He imagined the pufferfish as a whimsical companion, capable of lifting the spirit of its marine friend.
Just like in life, there are moments when we need someone—a friend, a colleague, even a stranger—to help us rise again when we falter, so that we may continue our flight.
From this vision, the Balloons collection was born: an ode to complicity and friendship, a tribute to the strength of collaboration—not only between two individuals but also among companies, nations, and all those who wish to travel together through both calm and stormy skies.
Because even when darkness falls upon our path, when the night stretches vast and uncertain, it is the bonds we share that keep us aloft, that allow us to move forward.
ATLANTIS CITY
Over 2,400 years ago, the Athenian philosopher Plato sought to share his vision of justice and the governance of the Polis, giving life to one of the most extraordinary intellectual exercises in history.
He did not simply propose rules, but told the story of a city beyond the Pillars of Hercules: Atlantis, a powerful and advanced civilization which, succumbing to arrogance, was punished by the gods with destruction.
Plato teaches us that even the most advanced civilization, if deprived of morality, is destined to fall.
Now, according to legend, it lies submerged in the ocean depths, yet its fascination still resonates today.
The Atlantis collection seeks to evoke that mysterious magic, bringing an aura of timeless elegance and mystery into everyday life.
SEA MAIOLICHE
Waves, clouds, and rocks merge into a suspended landscape that unites memory and modernity.
Inspired by ancient maiolica yet reinterpreted in a contemporary key, the decoration unfolds like a narrative mosaic: each panel tells a story while at the same time contributing to a broader vision. The waves seem to move, the clouds open into plays of light, and the rocks rise like theatrical backdrops.
Amid these forms appear light ships, suspended between sea and sky, transforming the surface into an optical illusion where water and air blend together. Each tile thus becomes a poetic fragment, capable of bringing depth and allure to any environment.
SEAWEED
A suspended water forest, where long vegetal ribbons dance to the rhythm of the current and light filters through like in a liquid cathedral. Among the algae, fish move slowly, almost weightless, turning every gesture into pure poetry.
It is a scene that invites silence and contemplation: a haven of stillness where time seems to stop, capable of soothing the soul and filling the gaze with beauty.
The richness of the graphic details conveys the vibration of a living ecosystem, bringing into spaces a touch of marine nature that envelops and reassures—like a deep breath beneath the ocean’s surface.
