Forty Years of Ceramic History to be Celebrated at Cersaie 2023

The 2023 edition of Cersaie, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings, is to be held in Bologna, Italy, from September 25 to 29. It will mark the 40th anniversary of the trade fair and will cement the show’s status as the most important international exhibition in the world of ceramic tiles and bathroom furnishings.

With an exhibition space of 145,000 sq meters accomodating 624 exhibitors from 26 countries last year, Cersaie 2022 was an astounding success but Cersaie 2023, is aiming to go higher with its 40th-year celebration.  Filippo Manuzzi, Vice President of Confindustria Ceramica, took the international press through the events and announced how the 40^th year will be special with a fascinating route reliving 40 years of the Fair’s evolution, focusing on design, technology, products, and companies that have made history.

“Titled “Route 40”, this route will take the visitor through the defining moments of these four decades, illustrating the major changes that have taken place in culture, society, design, and production. Curated by Davide Vercelli and designed by Dario Curatolo, Route 40 will wind its way through the halls of Cersaie, starting from the Quadriportico – the starting point and conceptual link in this fascinating tale – and will continue in Gallery 21-22, 25-26 and in the Mall of Hall 37 with displays narrating each decade. This itinerary is not intended as a nostalgic experience but a demonstration of Cersaie’s key role in proposing avant-garde products and steering the market and ceramic design, becoming a cultural platform for informing and influencing all trade professionals over the decades,” explains Manuzzi.

Cersaie has always displayed design in unusual and entertaining ways, a fashion show of clothes made from tiles in the early 80s, the playful seating of ‘Sit down, please’, the use of ceramics in the ‘Cer Sea’ bathing establishment idea or the visionary train of ‘Cer-Stile’. Manuzzi promised that Route 40 will not disappoint with the creativity and history charted in each of its exhibits.

“Over the course of four decades, the International Exhibition of Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings has firmly established itself as the go-to global event for industry professionals, architects, and investors, a role that will be further underscored at this year’s 40th-anniversary edition. Cersaie 2023 will be a unique opportunity to share ideas, discover the latest new products and take stock of everything that the show has achieved over the last forty years. But while taking visitors on a journey back into the past, it will also open a door into the future,” said Manuzzi. Through trade fair activities, meetings, and networking opportunities, the five-day event will entirely redefine the concept of architectural design using innovative materials based on the latest research.

“The visual concept for Cersaie 2023 consists of a highly symbolic image of a doorway through which the show’s visitors will step into the future and immerse themselves in a new dimension of architectural space, one that no longer focuses on individual identities but becomes a point of intersection between knowledge, visions, and materials,” confirmed Manuzzi.

At Cersaie 2023, ceramic tiles and bathroom furniture will be presented in an entirely new way. No longer confined to an autonomous and consequently limited dimension, these products will become part of a thought-provoking overall concept that encompasses space, quality of life and sustainability.