Set within the historic interiors of Palazzo Monti, La Grazia explores the dialogue between Meritalia’s radical design heritage, contemporary photography and domestic space.
La Grazia, a new photographic project by Claudia Zalla, set within the historic interiors of Palazzo Monti in Brescia, with styling by Greta Cevenini.
Since its founding in 1987, Meritalia® has championed a design vision rooted in creative freedom and experimentation, transforming everyday objects into pieces with a bold, radical identity. Through collaborations with designers including Gaetano Pesce, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Mario Bellini, Carlo Contin and Giulio Iacchetti, and more recently Faye Toogood, Cristián Mohaded, Philippe Malouin and Objects of Common Interest, the brand has built a collection of furniture that envisions the home as a space for personal expression, where every design introduces a unique and memorable presence. La Grazia continues this narrative, using photography as a medium to explore and communicate Meritalia®’s design identity.
The choice of Palazzo Monti reflects this vision. A historic palace in the heart of Brescia, now home to an international artist residency, Palazzo Monti brings together architectural heritage and contemporary creative research. Its eighteenth-century frescoes, richly textured surfaces and sequence of atmospheric interiors provide the setting in which Meritalia®’s radical design language finds a new expression. Rather than being presented as isolated objects, the furnishings are integrated into harmonious living environments, creating a visual narrative in which product, architecture and everyday life coexist naturally.
At the heart of the project are the new collections unveiled by Meritalia® at Salone del Mobile 2026 alongside some of Meritalia®’s most iconic collections, highlighting the continuity between the brand’s design heritage and its ongoing evolution. Featured pieces include Crease, the family of upholstered seating and occasional tables by Faye Toogood; Bundle, the side table and stool designed by Objects of Common Interest; Scoop, Philippe Malouin’s modular seating system; the Hug sofa and armchair and the Eyes side tables by Cristián Mohaded; the Fix bench, Morbio table and Lierna chairs by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni; the Horizon and Room rugs developed in collaboration with cc-tapis; the special re-edition of the Broadway 543 dining system, comprising table, chairs and stools; La Michetta modular seating system; and Carlo Contin’s Snake coffee tables.
With La Grazia, Meritalia® continues its exploration of image-making as a design language, staging a dialogue between the radical character of its collections and the timeless atmosphere of Palazzo Monti. The palace’s frescoes, historic surfaces and architectural richness provide the ideal counterpoint to the expressive strength of the furnishings, creating a conversation that moves beyond the contrast between past and present.
Credits: GC Agency, Meritalia®
Photo by Claudia Zalla
MERITALIA®
Since its founding in 1987, Meritalia® has been defined by a spirit of creative freedom and a deliberately unconventional energy that gives rise to objects of everyday desire. The brand serves as an incubator for a multifaceted creative vision, one that responds to the evolving aspirations of a society in constant dialogue with itself. By consciously challenging convention, Meritalia® transforms ordinary objects into extraordinary pieces, shaping a collection with a distinctly radical identity. This vision found its fullest expression in the creative genius of Gaetano Pesce, while the brand has also collaborated with designers including Mario Bellini, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Carlo Contin, Giulio Iacchetti and, more recently, Misha Kahn, Philippe Malouin and Francesco Meda. Since 2023, Meritalia® has been part of the Italian Radical Design group, alongside Gufram and Memphis.
