coseincorso
COSEINCORSO is a multidisciplinary design studio founded by Marzia Cerio and Marwann Frikach in 2021, specializing in objects and curation.
Their work explores the intersection of art and design, blending contemporary minimalism with traditional craftsmanship. With a focus on reintroducing poetics into production, they highlight the cultural narratives embedded in each creation.
Collaborating closely with artisans and sourcing local materials, they emphasize the preservation and appreciation of craftsmanship.
Each collection draws inspiration from history, archaeology, and geography, distilling the essence of a region into tangible form.
COLLECTION 01: LES AMES SIMPLES
For our first collection, we focused on aspects of isolation, simple ways of life and our relationship with nature and spirituality. Through this simplicity and the direct connection to the artisan, we tend to design objects with a soul which go over their sole utility. Our first field of research was the place we live in now: Belgium.
Belgium is the land of the first beguinage, an architectural complex within cities, created to accommodate beguines: lay nuns who lived in restricted communities without taking vows or withdrawing from the world.
Nevertheless, they lived their spirituality freely within their walls and outside the official church. As independent women’s groups, they were owners, creators and benefactors and created their own society and economy. In those days, they were not always well regarded and some of them were called heretics or even witches. Today, beguinages are protected by UNESCO and are part of Belgian history and heritage. Fascinated by this movement born in the 13th century, we decided to look at this way of life which raises social and political questions for our time, about autonomy, collaboration, feminism and the place of spirituality in society.
This project, consisting of a bench, a table, a mirror and a candle holder, is our personal interpretation of this particular type of isolation, whose forms are freely inspired by objects found in béguinages. This first collection was produced in collaboration with young craftsmen in Brussels who perfected traditional skills such as ironwork, upholstery and wax casting.
The Candelabra is inspired by religious candle holders and can be used as a unique sculptural element, as well as a decomposed puzzle. Candles are handmade following the medieval technique of soaking. They are made with 100% natural beeswax. Dark candles are made by mixing charcoal powder with beeswax.
The Mirror of Simple Souls takes inspiration from medieval stoups often found at the entrance of churches and by the Béguines’ beds. The stainless steel plate is brushed by hand leaving a blurry mirrored surface. The iron half-sphere can be used as a small container or be left as an empty spiritual vessel.
The Altar is inspired by prayer kneelers and small altars found in the Béguines’ rooms. Each metal piece is cut by hand and the welds are still visible. The smooth assemblage of thin metal pieces makes the object almost invisible, floating in space.
The Bench takes inspiration from wooden benches used in Christian churches. The smooth angles are handcut by the artisan. The raw iron is blackened to create a painterly texture. Cushions are handcrafted from premium Belgian linen and filled with goose down.