Opus Motus is the new scenic stone design installation by Raffaello Galiotto in conjunction with Lithos Design, the result of a study on the natural colours of stone combined with movement.
Six gaudy mechanical vertical spinning tops featuring an inlaid marble circle that, when activated by a lever, begins to spin progressively faster, the colours of nature merge together, amalgamating and forming other unprecedented shades. An explosion of colours and shapes reveal to every onlooker unique and surprising optical effects.
Around the world in six colours
The starting point of the study behind the conception of Opus Motus are six types of marble among the most prestigious and charming, sourced from the four corners of the globe, from East to West: Verde Giada from China, Travertino Rosso and Travertino Giallo from Iran, Bianco Thassos from Greece, Nero Marquinia from Spain, Azul Macaubas from Brazil.
All the colours and geometric structures used for Opus Motus were purpose designed based on the RGB additive model according to specific optical and chromatic effects. Thus the wealth of colours, which is already quite evident, proves to be even more surprising when movement transforms them.
Stone and I
As in other projects, with Opus Motus Lithos Design and Raffello Galiotto investigate stone as a natural element and thus intimately close to man: for this reason, the interaction with and active participation of the public is especially important. The Opus Motus circles can be activated manually with a simple lever- mechanism. The various colours of the marble tesserae come apart through the rotating movement revealing new and impressive shapes and colours to the observer.
With Opus Motus, after 3D experimentation, Lithos Design explores a new form of expression to broach a new and unexplored territory in the world of stone colours. Founded on an in-depth knowledge of stone materials, of their sources, of the ability to work them through dedicated and sophisticated industrial systems and significant investments in Research and Development.
OPUS MOTUS: Brickbreak, Cogs, Lollipop, Pinwheel, Rose, Slot.
Name: Brickbreak
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: Brickbreak is the “summa” of Opus Motus: in fact, it comprises all six marbles selected for the collection, arranged here in rows of small bricks which “break” during the dynamic phase and merge together to create concentric circles with delicate hues.
Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Nero Marquinia, Travertino Rosso, Travertino Giallo, Verde Giada, Azul Macaubas, Bianco Thassos.
Name: Cogs
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: Cogs presents a black&white pattern inspired by the 1970s. The black spots, when in motion combined with high-frequency lighting, create an optical illusion whereby the circles appear to rotate in opposite directions at different speeds, like the cogs in a complex gear.
Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Nero Marquinia, Bianco Thassos.
Name: Lollipop
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: Lollipop may make you smile when at a standstill since it looks like a giant lolly, but it is disarming when, in motion, it reveals surprising effects which the rotation gives its colours: the red and green flow into one another, giving intensity and life to different intermediate shades of colour.
Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Nero Marquinia, Verde Giada, Travertino Rosso.
Name: Pinwheel
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: The most playful in the Opus Motus collection: even its name, Pinwheel, invites the observer to play with it. The four colours of the marbles, which are finely inlaid, merge together and soften in intensity to create an unexpected palette of subtle and delicate shades.
Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Nero Marquinia, Verde Giada, Travertino Rosso, Azul Macaubas.
Name: Rose
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: A flowery motif, for Rose. The marbles criss-cross elegantly and then, as if by magic, the movement invites certain colours to reveal themselves in all their intensity: the blue of the Azul Macaubas and the red of the Travertino, which first mix together in the whole with discretion and balance, then become the stars of the image, while the others dissolve to create unprecedented shades.
Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Bianco Thassos, Nero Marquinia, Verde Giada, Travertino Rosso, Azul Macaubas.
Name: Slot
Collection: Opus Motus
Design: Raffaello Galiotto
Brief description: Slot is a true transformer which manages to give a completely different image of itself. When at a standstill, it is distinguished by soft decorations inspired by nature. These same decorations, when in motion, come undone like the figures in a slot machine, giving rise to concentric circles which are clearly separate from one another owing to the exhibition of white, creating an interesting hypnotic effect. Dimensions: diameter 120 cm, thickness 2 cm, height 200 cm
Materials: Bianco Thassos, Nero Marquinia, Verde Giada, Travertino Rosso.
