In spring 2018, Daniel Bailo from Mosaíco learned cement tiles and Albert Martí from Mosaics Marti Get to know each other through a mutual acquaintance in Manresa. They soon realized that they were on the same wavelength when it came to enthusiasm for their crafts and attention to detail in tile making. After a return visit to Syba Tiles Sarl, the manufacturer of Mosáico Zementfliesen GmbH in Marrakesh, the idea for a collaboration quickly developed.
The company in Manresa has a long history. It was founded in 1913 by the grandfather of the current operators, Bernat Martí, under his name. After his death, it was continued first by the widow, then by the sons until the sixties. During this time, the complex production of cement tiles disappeared and was replaced by simpler products such as ceramics, earthenware and terrazzo.
Nevertheless, cement tiles still impress today with their quality, beauty and uniqueness, and so in the eighties, grandsons Albert and Pere Martí decided to resume the workshop and the tradition of cement tile production. Although Mosaics Martí can draw on a large pool of old Art Nouveau and Art Deco patterns, the company is not stuck in the past. Renowned architects and designers create contemporary patterns that adapt the material to the twenty-first century. The ETNIA series has recently been launched, whose graphic design is reminiscent of traditional wickerwork.
The cooperation between the two companies is mutually beneficial, with each of the partners having something special to contribute. While Mosaics Martí brings tradition and innovation, Syba Tiles also offers the opportunity to produce larger quantities with the usual perfection of craftsmanship. Albert Martí told me that he told his customers that he had two workshops; a small one in Manresa and a larger one in Marrakesh.
Another orientation in the Mosaics Martí product line makes my collector's heart in particular beat faster: there is the tile”Flor de Barcelona”, the traditional street pavement of Barcelona and the hexagonal Gaudí tile as souvenir editions in sizes of 9×9 cm or 10×11 cm.