Marmo – four ages in the quarries of Carrara

Art has infinitely many faces, is enriching and astonishing, broadens the horizon. In this unique editorial, the art thrives on strong contrasts, the play of light and shadow, and the interlude between minimalism and opulence.

Marmo is a remarkable project shot in the marble caves of Carrara and planned by photographer Stefano Santucci and wedding planner Alice Bracciali of Unique Events in Tuscany.

They tell us, “Like other companies in the wedding industry, we did not have the opportunity to express our vision through our work during this unusual year. Instead, we had time to concentrate fully on the Marmo project. It took us a lot of energy and dedication to put together all the elements of this complex and structured project in such a way that a perfect balance was achieved.

The word MARMO means marble. Carrara is the most famous place in Italy where you can find this natural element. These rocks took 190 million years to become what we see today. At that time Tuscany was completely covered by the sea.

The places we visited for this project led us to the same quarries from which Michelangelo selected the best blocks for the “David” and where Canova chose his marble for the “Three Graces”. Many of the great artists of history have walked on these mountains. And the quarries of Carrara fit perfectly with our goal, because they represent human love through the centuries:-.

Prehistoric:

Our team focused on finding a representation of love in ancient times: The rite of love was symbolized by a clay body painting that covered the bodies of our two models. Nanou worked on handmade, raw jewelry and we set up a very spartan and simple ceremony in a cave protected by damp walls and stone ceilings, dripping water.

From jeweler Nanou Gioielli: “Playing with fire: that’s basically what I do. And this is how my jewels are created. First, the flame brings the wax to life. Then the wax magically dissolves and becomes the never-returning soul of an idea, a story … a story made of gold, silver or bronze.

I’m always looking for the essence of the material I’m working with, creating forms that could belong to the past, the present or the future: before the ‘early’ becomes ‘too late’.”

Contemporary:

Our modern civilization is becoming more and more distant from the traditions and customs of the past: we experience loneliness and exclusion, an experience that alienates individuality. We decided to depict these scenes with contemporary outfits and with single shots. We were supported by Francesco Copparoni, who made a beautiful haute couture dress, and By Romance and No Smoking Collection, who designed tailoring and smoking jackets.

The usual long table at the reception was replaced by a minimal, intimate table to emphasize the experience of solitude on the one hand and the readiness of the essential on the other. The installation of pampas grass, mixed with other dried elements, stands out from the minimalist and modern interior and gives a touch of hope with its romantic touch.

Futuristic:

No one can imagine what the wedding of the future will look like, but what is certain is that it will be elegant and atmospheric. The chosen cave was geometric and square, the color of the marble stood out against the girls’ clothes. We tried to bring in a new cosmic atmosphere without sacrificing style and class.

Classic:

Finally, a critical and intimate look, with Greek statues, busts, a bridal boudoir session. All papers were designed using handmade paper, a blend of recycled paper and fabric scraps, and minimal graphics. This minimal design helps us break from tradition: the cracked layers of paint on the papers and the irregular patterns on the fabric paper. The natural tones evoke a connection to the earth. In this part, we played with images of ancient philosophers and artists represented by statues.”