Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche – Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

Design – ‘Strong and brave as a bear’ this is what the name Bernardo means and this is the name of the warrior panda bear ceramic sculptures by Elena Salmistraro. “The mellow and tender animal is the symbol of endangered species and WWF.” Salmistraro adorned him like the head of a tribe.

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

“A sort of armour, the crown of leaves and branches of his favourite food, bamboo, turn him into a hero ready to fight to defend all other animals.” Says Elena Salmistraro who created Bernardo for Italian company Bosa Ceramiche which donates profits to WWF.

The unique decorations of this ceramic piece – with its alternating hues, 3D inserts and refined shiny and matt finishes – make it a fascinating character that inspires the imagination and reminds us how vital it is to save our planet.

“My creations are the combination of art and design.” Explains the designer. “Utmost care for detail, painstaking search for the harmony of shapes and poetic style characterize my projects. One of my work’s priorities is the search for the expressive language of objects, which may fascinate people by evoking emotions”. 

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

The warrior panda bear is one of the projects on show at Can creativity save animals’ lives? the virtual design exhibition curated by Archipanic for Monkey 47 dry gin at Isola Design District. The exhibition features also works Porky Hefer, South Africa, Atelier Boelhouwer, the Netherlands, Peter Pichler Architecture, Italy, and Charlotte Mary Pack, UK.

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

In Borso del Grappa in the Italian region of Veneto, Bosa Ceramiche is an international company merging local heritage with the cosmopolitan spirit of Venice. Crafts meets ceaseless experimentation with the potential of ceramic, with the aim of transforming formal and functional conventions into new interpretations.

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

All images: courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.

Bernardo panda bear sculpture by Elena Salmistraro x Bosa Ceramiche - Courtesy of Elena Salmistraro.