There are moments when creativity chooses to subtract rather than add. That is what happens with “Ovo Sapiens – Origini”, Walter Musco’s new Easter collection for 2026, which marks a clear turning point in his journey: moving away from external dialogue to focus on a more intimate, almost radical exploration.
Over the years, the Roman pastry chef had built his collections around explicit references, engaging with contemporary art and recognizable visual languages. Today, however, the direction shifts. “Origini” is conceived as a return to matter, to gesture, to imperfection.
The 25 eggs on display at the pastry lab in Largo Bompiani do not seek decorative effect. On the contrary, they seem to resist immediate perception, asking for time. Surfaces are raw, forms often irregular, deliberately unfinished. Chocolate is no longer just a medium, but becomes living matter, to be observed before being consumed. The aesthetic moves between echoes of Brutalism and Bauhaus, without ever becoming a direct reference. Instead, a primordial, almost archaic dimension emerges: some eggs resemble smoothed masses, others appear like artifacts, objects outside of time. Color follows the same logic, reduced to an essential palette of browns and greys.
But “Origini” is not just a collection. It is an experience designed to engage multiple sensory levels. The exhibition unfolds through a sound design composed of raw, material sounds and olfactory installations that evoke forest, earth and humidity. This is complemented by a deliberately minimal gastronomic offering, based on primary foods such as bread, honey and roots, reinforcing the idea of a return to the essential.
In this context, even the concept of consumption takes on a different meaning. The eggs are works of art, yet they remain meant to be eaten. Their ephemeral nature is not a limitation, but an integral part of the project.
Alongside the collection, Musco also explores the other great symbol of Easter, the colomba. In addition to the artisanal line, a special edition has been created in collaboration with chef Giulio Zoli (Nomos Ante), inspired by his signature dish, Spaghetti Citrus, and built around a balance of different citrus varieties.
With “Ovo Sapiens – Origini”, Easter moves beyond being a purely celebratory occasion and returns to being a gesture. An essential, material, almost primitive gesture that invites us to slow down and to look—before even tasting.
