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La Biota: Difference between revisions
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[[File:LaBiotaProfile.png|thumb|Michele Sottocasa of la Biota pipes.]] | [[File:LaBiotaProfile.png|thumb|Michele Sottocasa of la Biota pipes.]] | ||
[[File:La biota nomenclature..jpg|thumb|Stamping used on la Biota pipes as of 2023.]] | [[File:La biota nomenclature..jpg|thumb|Stamping used on la Biota pipes as of 2023. Nomenclature is: la Biota ITALY (year), hand etched.]] | ||
La Biota pipes are made by Michele Sottocasa (b. 1983) in Turin, in the north of Italy. Having previously studied photography and graphic design, Sottocasa worked as a graphic designer and art director before becoming a pipe maker in 2013. Sottocasa is a member of Italy’s [[Accademia della Pipa]]. | La Biota pipes are made by Michele Sottocasa (b. 1983) in Turin, in the north of Italy. Having previously studied photography and graphic design, Sottocasa worked as a graphic designer and art director before becoming a pipe maker in 2013. Sottocasa is a member of Italy’s [[Accademia della Pipa]]. | ||
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[[File:LaBiota Horn.jpg|thumb|A la Biota cavalier of sorts, fashioned using a deer antler for its main body. Image courtesy PipesArt.com.|alt=|left]] | [[File:LaBiota Horn.jpg|thumb|A la Biota cavalier of sorts, fashioned using a deer antler for its main body. Image courtesy PipesArt.com.|alt=|left]] | ||
The second sense of “la Biota,” that of nakedness, is perhaps more subtly realized in Sottocasa’s work. He speaks somewhat cryptically on the matter, stating,<blockquote>“the pipe cannot hide secrets but must be absolute truth. That is, it must be an object capable of saying everything, without the need for intermediaries.”</blockquote> | The second sense of “la Biota,” that of nakedness, is perhaps more subtly realized in Sottocasa’s work. He speaks somewhat cryptically on the matter, stating,<blockquote>“the pipe cannot hide secrets but must be absolute truth. That is, it must be an object capable of saying everything, without the need for intermediaries.”</blockquote> | ||
[[File:La | [[File:La-Biota-Pipe-01-3.webp|alt=|thumb|A la Biota poker with antler, made in 2023. Image courtesy MBSD Pipes.]] | ||
Given that Sottocasa also characterizes his work as eschewing “recurring typologies,” we may infer that these remarks refer to an ideal of univocity in la Biota pipes. In other words, Sottocasa’s view is that pipe makers should strive to create unique works that resist attempts to interpret them by way of something else – another pipe, a shape, or a particular school or tradition, for example. While Sottocasa speaks of his explorations of the Danish style and of a role played by more classical references in his designs, he qualifies this by stating that each pipe should maintain “its own definition”. With this in mind, Sottocasa does not use a traditional lathe, opting instead to shape each pipe by hand on a wood lathe.<ref>For more information on the differences between types of lathes in pipe making, a short Pipedia,org entry can be found [[Metal Lathe|here]].</ref> | Given that Sottocasa also characterizes his work as eschewing “recurring typologies,” we may infer that these remarks refer to an ideal of univocity in la Biota pipes. In other words, Sottocasa’s view is that pipe makers should strive to create unique works that resist attempts to interpret them by way of something else – another pipe, a shape, or a particular school or tradition, for example. While Sottocasa speaks of his explorations of the Danish style and of a role played by more classical references in his designs, he qualifies this by stating that each pipe should maintain “its own definition”. With this in mind, Sottocasa does not use a traditional, metal lathe, opting instead to shape each pipe by hand on a wood lathe.<ref>For more information on the differences between types of lathes in pipe making, a short Pipedia,org entry can be found [[Metal Lathe|here]].</ref> | ||
The majority of la Biota pipes are made using briar, but Sottocasa also makes pipes from bog oak (morta) and olive wood. He is particularly fond of shank accents and uses a variety of materials for these embellishments. Horn rings and ferrules are particularly common features on la Biota Pipes. Sottocasa uses both acrylic and ebonite resins for his stems, all of which are hand cut. A gallery of some of Sottocasa's pipes is available below. | The majority of la Biota pipes are made using briar, but Sottocasa also makes pipes from bog oak (morta) and olive wood. He is particularly fond of shank accents and uses a variety of materials for these embellishments. Horn rings and ferrules are particularly common features on la Biota Pipes. Sottocasa uses both acrylic and ebonite resins for his stems, all of which are hand cut. A gallery of some of Sottocasa's pipes is available below. | ||
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== Gallery == | == Gallery == | ||
<gallery widths="300" heights="300" perrow="3"> | <gallery widths="300" heights="300" perrow="3"> | ||
File: | File:La biota 5.jpg|La Biota promotional image. Image courtesy Michele Sottocasa. | ||
File:La biota olivewood.jpg | File:Labiotabollito.jpg|La Biota promotional image. Image courtesy Bollito Pipe. | ||
File:La-biota-fiammata-bamboo-freeform.jpg | File:La biota olivewood.jpg|An olive wood la Biota fish. Image courtesy LePipe.it | ||
File:La Biota lepipeit1.jpg | File:LaBiota-Smooth.jpg|A la Biota axe of sorts. Image courtesy Michele Sottocasa. | ||
File:La biota 3.jpg | File:La-biota-fiammata-bamboo-freeform.jpg|A freeform with bamboo from la Biota. Image courtesy Bollito Pipe. | ||
File:La biota | File:La Biota lepipeit1.jpg|A conical cherrywood of sorts from la Biota. Image courtesy LePipe.it | ||
File:La biota 3.jpg|A sandblasted axe with a horn shank extension from la Biota. Image courtesy Michele Sottocasa. | |||
File:La biota poker Ukraine auction.png|A poker-style la Biota made for the 2022 Ukraine Charity Pipes auction organized by Nanna Ivarsson and Per Billhäll. Image courtesy Scandpipes.com. | |||
File:La-Biota-Pipe-01-1 MBSD.webp|A la Biota bog oak (morta) acorn with a Thika nut band. Image courtesy MBSD Pipes. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
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'''Michele Sottocasa''' | '''Michele Sottocasa''' | ||
Website: [https://www.la-biota.com/ www.la-biota.com] | |||
Email: pipa.biota@gmail.com | Email: pipa.biota@gmail.com | ||
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_biota_pipe/ | Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_biota_pipe/ | ||
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/la.biota.pipe.artigianali/ | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/la.biota.pipe.artigianali/ | ||
[[Category:Pipe makers by nationality]] | |||
[[Category:Italy]] | |||