WWB - Rodopio

Bordallo Pinheiro presents Rodopio, the latest creation in the WWB – Worldwide Bordallianos collection, the result of an unprecedented collaboration with architect, designer, and artist Joana Astolfi. This singular piece, which reflects the inventive and irreverent spirit of the brand, emerges as a tribute to the act of play, to movement, and to the fantasy that inhabits the Bordallian universe.

According to the artist, “Rodopio is a work of art inspired by the act of playing – a playful creation in which movement plays a central role.
The spinning top, the central element of this piece, has always been for me a symbol of my fascination with toys and games, representing the very essence of play and of spinning. Here, the scale has been enlarged to give it strength and visual impact, and its organic form was carefully designed down to the smallest detail.”

Joana Astolfi further adds: “The spinning top is inhabited by serpents and miniature figures that I selected from the Bordallo Pinheiro universe, and the colors used in its painting were chosen with great care. The serpents inhabit the piece, invade it, climbing up its surface and coiling around it. The fleeing figures cling to the spinning top and embrace it as if fighting for their lives. Others hold onto its base as if trying to stop it from spinning. From this clash—between challenge and protection—movement is born: the spinning top turns, creating a great whirl that tells the story of this continuous dance.”

With Rodopio, Bordallo Pinheiro reaffirms its commitment to contemporary art and design, keeping alive the creative legacy of Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. The piece embodies a dialogue between tradition and innovation, combining the expressiveness of artistic faience with Joana Astolfi’s poetic and narrative language.

This special edition is numbered and limited to 140 pieces, produced at the Caldas da Rainha factory, where each piece is carefully molded and hand-painted by the brand’s artisans. Rodopio is available in Bordallo Pinheiro stores and online, with a retail price of €1,900.