Coco Brun's fragrant ceramic sculptures, inspired by Puglia's landscapes, displayed by Lake Como.

Coco Brun Transforms Puglia’s Landscapes into Fragrant Ceramic Sculptures at Lake Como

User avatar placeholder
Written by Seth Sebastian

2026-10-09

Immersive Installation Reflects Puglia’s Eroded Coastline

Coco Brun, a renowned artist and designer, brings Puglia’s eroded landscapes to life through “Landscape Memories,” an olfactory installation featuring three innovative ceramic pieces. Crafted during the D.Puglia residency under curator Gordana Zgonjanin, the project explores the dynamic interplay between land and sea that defines southern Italy‘s terrain.

For more inspiring design innovations, explore how designers push boundaries at the Lake Como Design Festival.

Each piece mimics natural formations like caves, created using advanced 3D scanning of Puglian geological structures. Manufactured in Milan with SuperForma, the ceramics showcase intricate surface patterns through a meticulously programmed extrusion process, layer by layer. The natural behavior of clay during creation adds character through twists and drips, offering a raw glimpse into the artwork’s delicate formation. The modular design allows for diverse assembly possibilities, providing openings for both air and fragrance circulation.

Images by artists Federica Livia and Rebecca Pissina showcase artistic ceramic sculptures.
all images by Federica Livia, Rebecca Pissina

Ceramic Art in Fragrance Collaboration

Collaborating with perfumer Laurène Sourdillon of Givaudan Paris, Coco Brun introduces three scents: Marino, Terra, and Bosco, symbolizing sea, earth, and Mediterranean vegetation, respectively. These fragrances emerge from their specific ceramic sculptures, harmoniously mixing in the exhibition space to create a unique olfactory experience that evolves with environmental factors.

The pieces feature ORB, a sophisticated dry-air diffusion device by Genius Loci, seamlessly incorporated into their form. Each sphere is housed in a handcrafted, perforated casing, reflecting organic patterns from the surrounding landscapes.

Incorporating crafts and tradition, discover ceramic and wood fusion lighting by Byunggwon Na in Seoul.

French artist Coco Brun presents an olfactory installation named Landscape Memories.
Landscape Memories is an olfactory installation by French artist and designer Coco Brun

Exhibition and Future Projects

Unveiled at the 2026 Lake Como Design Festival at Villa Saporiti, this installation, part of Border / Confine curated by Giovanna Massoni and Francesca Prandelli, merges the ceramic pieces with ethereal olfactory elements. Looking ahead, Coco Brun plans to expand the project in 2027 with redesigned sculptures and new textile and graphic interpretations, continuing to capture the sensory essence of Puglia in ceramic art.

Sculptures mimic forms from caves and underground geological formations.
the sculptures take their forms from caves and underground geological formations
Air circulates through openings in the ceramic sculptures, enhancing fragrance diffusion.
openings in the ceramic modules allow air and fragrance to circulate

Project Details

  • Name: Landscape Memories
  • Artist: Coco Brun | @c_o_c_o_brun
  • Perfumes: Laurène Sourdillon, Givaudan Paris
  • Ceramics: SuperForma srl, Milan – Mattia Ciurnelli, Lorenzo Falegnami, Silvio Caniglia
  • Olfactory Device: ORB by Genius Loci
  • Photography: Federica Livia | @federicalivia__, Rebecca Pissina | @repsss
  • Research Venue: D.Puglia residency, curated by Gordana Zgonjanin
Sculptures' surfaces are built through ceramic extrusion, layering them meticulously.
ceramic extrusion builds the sculptures’ surfaces layer by layer
ORB dry-air diffusion devices are seamlessly integrated within the ceramic sculptures.
ORB, a dry-air diffusion device, is integrated into the sculptures
Rechargeable ORB spheres with perforated casings mimic organic landscape forms.
each rechargeable ORB sphere features a perforated casing inspired by organic landscape forms
Fragrance combines and emerges from interactions among three sculptural compositions.
the combined fragrance emerges through the interaction of the three compositions
Irregularities in clay arise from processes like printing, drying, and firing.
the printing, drying, and firing processes produce irregularities in the clay
Drips and twists visually document the clay's behavior during fabrication.
visible drips and twists record the material’s behavior during fabrication
Installation explores Puglia’s coastline and evolving land-sea relationship.
the installation draws on research into Puglia’s coastline and its changing relationship between land and sea
Coco Brun's fragrant ceramic sculptures, inspired by Puglia's landscapes, displayed by Lake Como.

Sources & Links

Source: designboom.com

Frequently asked questions

What is Coco Brun’s installation about?

Coco Brun’s installation ‘Landscape Memories’ is an olfactory installation featuring three innovative ceramic pieces that reflect Puglia’s eroded landscapes, bringing them to life through scent and form.

Who collaborated with Coco Brun on the fragrances?

Coco Brun collaborated with perfumer Laurène Sourdillon of Givaudan Paris to create three scents: Marino, Terra, and Bosco, each symbolizing different elements of the landscape.

Where was the ‘Landscape Memories’ installation unveiled?

The ‘Landscape Memories’ installation was unveiled at the 2026 Lake Como Design Festival at Villa Saporiti as part of Border / Confine curated by Giovanna Massoni and Francesca Prandelli.