fernando + humberto campana

fernando + humberto campana: interview with the campana brothers ..............................................................................................................................

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fernando + humberto campana

fernando and humberto campana
the brothers fernando (1961) and humberto campana (1953)
are two of the most famous south american designers.
since 1983, fernando, who graduated in architecture,
and humberto, who studied law, have worked together
in the field of design, or better between art and
design. in their joint studio, a sort of converted garage,
in são paulo, brazil, they develop furniture which are
often based on everyday, ready-made materials
- waste products as well as industrial goods.
some of their designs are manufactured
by edra and cappellini.

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we met femando & humberto campana in cologne on january 19, 2004.
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femando (F:) & humberto (H:) campana are answering /

what is the best moment of the day?
when we swim in the morning.

what kind of music do you listen to at the moment?
brazillian music.

do you listen to the radio?
no radio... we don’t like the pubilicity..

what books do you have on your bedside table?
a bible...

do you read design magazines?
yes.

where do you get news from? newspapers?
newspapers.

do you notice how women are dressing?
do you have any preferences?
H: I like women who dress simple, and have a
sense of simplicity.

what kind of clothes do you avoid wearing?
H: a tuxedo...
F: I don’t like to wear exaggerated clothing.

do you have any pets?
H: I have 3 irish setters...
F: a boxer that stays in my mother’s house.

when you were a child, did you want to become a designer?
F: me? an astronaut.
H: I wanted to be a native indian...

where do you work on your designs and projects?
mostly in our studio, the back part of the studio.

who would you like to design something for?
a garden... to have a possibility to work on an outside
project.

do you discuss your work with architects and designers?
we discuss with some brazilian designers, sometimes we talk
about our projects...
giving opinions and getting feedbacks.

describe your style, like a good friend of yours would describe it.
very organic,very intensive, and its very emotional...
to bring dreams to people, to bring what people have been fed up
with daily life, to bring some joys and ironies to people.

can you describe an evolution in your work from your first projects
to the present day?
H: I was a lawyer before, but I gave up and began
working with hands... my brother helped and inspired me
when I was working with sculpture, metal, and jewellery
and so it started to change...
F: I had brought functionality into his sculptures,
and I think he became more mature
in his works...

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furniture is about function, and comfort and I guess it is interesting
to work with the designs, and especially materials
which play an important role to us.
... I think we need to be contradictive...
I don't like to follow the rules, and I think we
need to break the rules, to be free/break the boundaries.

is there any designer and/or architect ,
you appreciate a lot?
oscar niemayer, ... he is a visionaire.

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and those still working?
shigeru ban, frank gehry,
rem koolhaas, renzo piano, so many...

any advice for the young ?
to learn from their mistakes,
to get out and investigate.

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on the news they said that italians are afraid of unemployment,
criminality and pollution. what are you afraid of regarding
the future?
violence, and afraid of very arrogant people .