Ike and Koi

Vito Nesta and Ludek Lancellotti designed two carpets inspired by the Japanese paper umbrellas of the past century, made in pure wool by Indian artisans.

Ike e Koi, in Japanese language respectively ‘pond’ and ‘carp’ are two pure wool carpets in the shape of old Chinese paper umbrellas made in India by the best artisans.

The project is the result of a trip to Asia and of the study of ancient Japanese XIX century prints of the local fashion, before western contamination. That’s where the interest for this romantic and iconic object was born, which in the oniric world represents adaptiveness and luck and the will to transform it in something that goes beyond the carpet and towards a window open on a colorful and mysterious world. Ike’s dominant colors are the blue of the pond and the carp’s red. It is the curiosity of exploration, the entomologist’s enthusiasm, the beauty of movement. Koi is a rice paper color carpet in which a handful of lazy and quite sleepy carps swim in formation. The carpets have been presented at Galleria Luisa Delle Piane in Milan.

Vito Nesta and Ludek Lancellotti, carpets Ike and Koi. ph. Sara Magni
Vito Nesta and Ludek Lancellotti, carpet Koi. ph. Alessandro Esposito
Vito Nesta and Ludek Lancellotti, carpet Ike. ph. Alessandro Esposito


Ike and Koi
Design: Vito Nesta and Ludek Lancellotti
Dimension: Ø 200 cm
Year: 2016