There are places that don't just host an exhibition but become part of its narrative. This is what happened on June 20 and 21, 2026, in the halls of Palazzo Pretorio in Vicopisano, during Materia Senza Tempo (Timeless Matter), the installation curated by Vicode and dedicated to Malles x Vicode ceramics.
For two days, the dark, irregular forms created by the artisans of Sejnane engaged in a dialogue with the walls, floors, and ancient stones of the Palace. The result was not just an exhibition setup, but a meeting between places and traditions born on different shores of the Mediterranean.
Palazzo Pretorio still preserves traces of the long history of the Vicariate of Vicopisano. Its architecture belongs to a monumental complex linked to the Rocca (fortress) and the engineering interventions of Filippo Brunelleschi. Placing the Sejnane ceramics in these halls allowed for a re-reading of the space through essential materials: stone, clay, fire, and time.
June 20–21, 2026
Palazzo Pretorio, Vicopisano
Installation curated by Vicode
Malles x Vicode Ceramics
A dialogue between stone and earth
The title Materia Senza Tempo (Timeless Matter) stems from the desire to narrate what retains value beyond trends: authentic material, manual labor, handed-down knowledge, and an object's ability to preserve its origin.
In the Palace's halls, the Malles vases appeared almost as artifacts from an undefined time. Each surface showed variations, traces of firing, and small irregularities. Not flaws to hide, but visible evidence of the gesture that shaped the clay.
The verrucana stone, the walls marked by centuries, and the hand-modeled ceramics seemed to belong to the same landscape. On one side, the architectural history of Vicopisano; on the other, a female tradition born in northern Tunisia and preserved through generations.
Not simply objects placed in a space, but presences capable of establishing a relationship with their surroundings.
The ceramics of the women of Sejnane
The works presented during the exhibition come from Sejnane, a rural community in northern Tunisia where traditional pottery is mainly carried out by women.
The clay is collected locally, cleaned, prepared, and shaped without the use of a potter's wheel. After drying and firing, some surfaces are decorated with geometric patterns linked to the textiles and visual culture of the region.
The knowledge required to perform each step is passed down primarily from mother to daughter. Since 2018, this knowledge has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
During the vernissage, the screening of a short film dedicated to ceramic production allowed the public to observe the places, the artisans, and the various stages of production. Later, looking at the exhibited vases, it was possible to recognize the traces of those gestures on their surfaces.
A well-attended evening
The vernissage on June 20 attracted a large and attentive audience. The halls and outdoor spaces of Palazzo Pretorio gradually filled up, maintaining a collected atmosphere, conducive to visiting and conversation.
Among the authorities present were the Mayor of Vicopisano Matteo Ferrucci and the President of the Rotary Club of Vicopisano Michele Marroni. Their participation underscored the initiative's connection to the territory and the local community.
For Vicode, it was particularly significant to see different people pause in front of the artworks, approach to observe details, and ask questions about the origin and production of the ceramics.
The intention was not simply to present a collection, but to create an opportunity for craftsmanship, architecture, design, and culture to naturally converge.
The vernissage curated by Divizie
The evening was rounded off by the hospitality curated by Divizie, accompanied by a selection of wines from Tenuta Dodici.
The wine and conviviality followed the pace of the visit, helping to restore Palazzo Pretorio to daily life: not just a monument to be observed, but a place filled with people, stories, and conversations.
This too was part of Materia Senza Tempo: bringing the public closer to the material through multiple levels of experience and inviting everyone to linger without haste.
Timeless Matter: the vernissage in pictures
The exhibition setup, the ceramics of Sejnane, and some moments of the evening in the historic halls of Palazzo Pretorio.
Swipe the photo right or left.
From Sejnane to Vicopisano, via Milan and London
The Malles project has brought Sejnane ceramics to different contexts, united by an appreciation for art, design, and the culture of making.
In 2025, the collection was presented at the Fondazione Officine Saffi in Milan, a benchmark for research into contemporary ceramics.
In 2026, it arrived in London, at The Conran Shop's flagship store in Sloane Square, with the installation Giving Clay a Form created for London Craft Week.
Bringing these works to Vicopisano meant placing them in a very different space: not a neutral exhibition surface, but a building capable of adding new interpretations to the material. Palazzo Pretorio did not remain in the background; it participated in the exhibition.
A place, a community, a story to continue
Materia Senza Tempo was more than an exhibition for Vicode. It showed how the value of objects can emerge more clearly when told through places, people, and relationships.
It was also an opportunity to bring the community of Vicopisano together with a story from Tunisia and to reopen the Palazzo's rooms to a contemporary form of participation.
We thank the Municipality of Vicopisano for its patronage, Mayor Matteo Ferrucci, the President of the Vicopisano Rotary Club Michele Marroni, Divizie, Tenuta Dodici, and all the people who visited the installation and shared these days with us.
The photographs, encounters, and memories of the ceramics illuminated by the ancient walls of Palazzo Pretorio remain. But above all, the awareness remains that some materials do not belong to just one season.
They guard time. And they continue to tell stories.
