Canceled for two years—first for COVID, then the gas-price crisis—one of the world’s most important ceramic fairs resurfaced this year in Valencia, Spain and RECORD was there to check out what's new.
Castello
Released by the brand Harmony, this was perhaps the most architectural product at the fair. Designed by Madrid-based duo Alberto Bejerano and Patxi Cotarelo of Dsignio, these ceramic building blocks allow the construction of subtly striking room dividers or outdoor partitions. Available in gray, white, and terra-cotta, they arrest the eye yet allow the gaze through.
harmonyinspire.com
Luca
A good 90% of the products shown at Cevisama 2023 featured imitation-marble, -stone, or -wood looks. If you prefer your ceramics to resemble ceramics, consider the eye-popping glazes of Luca by the Valencia-based Vives. Available in various textures, formats, and colors—including off-white, orange, and a blue eau-de-nil—the beautiful firing imperfections evoke the 1970s with their retro feel.
vivesceramica.com
Croccante
As its name suggests, this range from Castellón-based Arcana looks good enough to eat. Available in all sorts of pastel shades and patterns, these flat matte porcelain tiles with their terrazzo-nougat finish will imbue your interior with a Midcentury Modern feel—though the nostalgia is tempered by a light, contemporary touch.
arcanatiles.com
Concept
High-end manufacturer Keraben has a number of three-dimensional and textured finishes among its offerings, including this handsome model from its Concept series. The finish shown is from their Bleuemix range, which reproduces the effect of Belgian bluestone (a limestone with a high fossil content) and is available in gray (pictured) and taupe.
keraben.com
Pop
Founded in 1992, Natucer specializes in extruded ceramics. Among their current offerings is the handsome Pop range, whose bold texture and strong colors will add punch to any kitchen or bathroom. Available in six tones (including ochre, pictured), they embody “the beauty of artisanal imperfection,” in the firm’s own words.
natucer.es
Evoke
Digital printing was all the rage at Cevisama this year, though mostly used to mimic stone and wood. But, as Aparici’s Evoke (above) demonstrates, you can digitally print anything. Instantly distressed walls, anyone? Interestingly, the effect evaporates upon close inspection—it's like zooming in on an Impressionist painting.
aparici.com
Sublime
Among the brands offering high-strength, large-format porcelain slabs is Museum, with a range of stone-effect finishes. So robust is their product, you can make furniture from it, imitating the beauty of marble without the cost or fragility of the real thing. Iceberg Camouflage White marble and Cliff Oreo Gray stone (pictured) are from Museum's Sublime range.
museumsurfaces.com
Nuer
Produced by high-end brand Living, which turns 10 this year, the Nuer collection was among the most beautiful and original tile concepts on display during Cevisama 2023. Commissioned from Milan-based Japanese designer Kensaku Oshiro, the design is ingeniously simple: 60 x 120cm ridged slabs, with ridge surfaces glazed in different colors. The result: from one side you see one hue, from the other a completely different tone, and in some models more than one color at once in a subtly Op Art effect. Nuer is available in eight colorways such as sunset, marine, quartz, and fog.
livingceramics.com
