Three Thousand Unique Porcelain Pieces
For the past few weeks, an extraordinary work of art has been suspended in the lobby of the Hotel de Charme in Laveno: a magnificent mobile made of almost translucent white porcelain, created by South Tyrolean artist Elfi Sommavilla – a quiet echo of the history of this remarkable place
Elfi Sommavilla
Comprising around three thousand individual elements – small fish, birds, butterflies, blossoms, and leaves in a wide variety of shapes – each hand-modeled from the finest porcelain, as delicate as silk and almost translucent, an exceptional mobile now welcomes guests to the Hotel de Charme in Laveno. Created by South Tyrolean artist Elfi Sommavilla, the work was commissioned specifically for the hotel and carries both a story and a deeper meaning.
A Commission Born of Friendship
The mobile emerged from a long-standing and close friendship. For many years, Elfi Sommavilla has known and appreciated Evi and Peter Paul Pohl, the owners of the Hotel de Charme. In 2024, she received a commission to create an artwork that would greet visitors from all over the world in the hotel’s entrance area – a location chosen with great care. Ceramics have a long and significant tradition in Laveno, making it the perfect setting for such a work.
The Creation of a Delicate Tribute
“The Proportions Have to Be Right”
The creation of this artwork was a long and patient process. “I repeatedly hung parts of it in my home to better understand the proportions,” Sommavilla recalls. Now that the mobile floats more than three meters high in the hotel lobby, both artist and commissioners are delighted: “It turned out beautifully.”
Meditative Work on Nylon Threads
The mobile is titled Flora Laveno – a name that perfectly reflects its essence. Sommavilla personally shaped nearly three thousand individual porcelain pieces and threaded them onto fine nylon strands, a time-consuming and almost meditative process. For this commission, she drew inspiration from the flora and fauna of Lake Maggiore. Fish, birds, butterflies, blossoms, and leaves now populate the mobile, creating a quiet tribute to the lake on whose shores the hotel stands.
When an Artwork Exceeds the Ceiling
Installing the mobile presented the hotel with a small technical challenge. The approximately one hundred nylon strands are mounted on an elliptical wooden panel measuring 100 × 70 cm, which could not be attached to the plaster ceiling but instead had to be secured directly to the concrete structure above. Sommavilla remained unfazed: “I prepared the individual strands in my studio in such a way that I could arrange and install them on site as complete elements.”
Porcelain Returns Home
Sommavilla’s choice of high-quality porcelain for her mobiles is more than an artistic decision in this location – it is an act of remembrance. “This creates a beautiful connection to this place,” says Peter Paul Pohl. On the site where the Hotel de Charme stands today, outstanding ceramic works were once produced under the direction of renowned masters such as Guido Andlovitz and Gio Ponti. The original façade of the former manufactory has been preserved and now forms part of the hotel’s distinctive architecture. A contemporary porcelain artwork now hangs in a space where porcelain has always belonged.
A Sound Like Water and Wind
The delicate installation now hangs in all its splendor in the hotel lobby, and even the slightest breeze brings it to life. The white leaves, blossoms, birds, and fish begin to sway gently, creating a soft, bell-like narrative in motion. Its sound resembles the lapping of water and the whisper of wind along the shores of Lake Maggiore – a subtle echo of the natural world waiting just outside.
Art to Take Home
Guests who wish to bring a piece of this delicate world into their own homes now have the opportunity to do so. Smaller mobiles by Elfi Sommavilla are available for purchase at the Hotel de Charme. At the same time, the artist is exhibiting her floral medallions from the Flora series. Whether displayed as wall pieces or table decorations, they bring a touch of Lake Maggiore’s natural beauty into the home. Both collections are available at the hotel.