Ivan Tafuro

TU BI, created in 2021 by the Italian Brindisi born artist Ivan Tafuro, is a ceramic sculpture project that draws inspiration from the urban decors surrounding the city of Milan. This source gives TU BI a bold, ironic, and colorful aesthetic, that lives in perfect harmony with the postmodern shows of the 1980s. 

The project was initially presented at Milan Design Week 2021, on the occasion of the "Matter to Dream" exhibition at the SIAM Arti e Mestieri Society, in the 5 Vie district and the exhibition “1000 vases” at Superstudio Più. The exhibitions brought forwards the idea and aim behind the brand; to influence the audience’s everyday life differently. 

As individuals see and understand each work from a different perspective, they will associate the sculptures with various familiar elements such as the trident, letters from the alphabet, musical notes, instruments and even spaceships. For instance, the iconic two legged yellow vase draws inspiration from decorative elements of an entrance door at a liberty house in Milan. At the same time, it can remind of Milan’s subway handrails, designed by Franco Albini and Franca Helg, or even propodeal metal tubes. 

Each piece is designed to be individual, unique and multipurpose, as one can be used as a flower vase or a large candelabrum. The sculptures mix shapes and colors together in a complementary way, meaning that with the purchase of more pieces, you get combinations that bring out playful, ironic and dialogic characters.

Every piece is handcrafted in Italy and realized by using white earthenware in an enameled finish. Taking advantage of the knowledge of artisan potters, the workmanship follows a process of about a month for each piece, respecting the phases of drying of the clay in casting, the first and second firing, glazing and the third firing for the logo application through the decalcomania. It is a slow, sustainable process, whose quality is under the continuous control of the designer and the professional involved.

The name “TU BI” evokes the tubular shapes that characterize the sculpture, as well as the English verb “to be” referred to the essential and storytelling component of the creative act and artistic expression. 

With a long-term view of expanding the company and designers vision, TU BI intends to experiment with new materials and new forms outside of the ceramic spectrum. This reflects the freedom and compositional values developed by Tafuro, in twenty-two years of experience across all creative industries of Made in Italy.