EWE studio’s table combines hand-carved green marble with cast aluminum

EWE Studio Reinterprets Purépecha sand-casting techniques

The Exhuma Dining Table is a three-meter sculptural piece by EWE Studio that combines hand-carved green marble with cast aluminum, drawing on ancestral Purépecha sand-casting techniques to explore the relationship between material, craftsmanship, and contemporary design.

The table is the latest addition to EWE Studio’s Exhuma Collection, which references pre-Hispanic techniques and Purépecha metallurgy. The collection examines ancestral knowledge and material practices passed down through generations, adapting historical casting methods into a contemporary language of collectible design. The technique behind Exhuma is an adaptation of casting methods used by the Purépechas around 1450 AD. Metal was melted and poured in liquid form into molds made from materials including clay, sand, charcoal, or stone. Once the metal had solidified, the mold was broken to release the object, which was then polished using stones.

For the Exhuma Collection, EWE Studio reinterprets this process through contemporary materials and craftsmanship, retaining the variations and traces associated with the casting process. The approach places emphasis on the physical properties of the materials and the marks created during fabrication.

all images ©Rosa Peralta

Hand-Carved Marble and Molten Aluminum form Exhuma Table

For the Exhuma Dining Table, the Mexico City-based Studio pairs a three-meter-long green marble surface with a cast aluminum base. The aluminum is formed using a hand-defined sand mold into which molten metal is poured. After casting, the surface is carefully polished while preserving the natural form created during the pouring process, allowing subtle irregularities and traces of fabrication to remain visible.

Measuring 308 × 135 × 77.5 cm, the table combines the solidity of hand-carved stone with the fluid qualities of cast metal. The contrast between the two materials establishes the table’s formal and tactile character while highlighting the different processes involved in shaping each component.

The piece continues the Exhuma Collection’s exploration of metalwork within Purépecha culture, where metal objects, including tajaderos, ornaments, and jewelry, held social, economic, political, and sacred significance. By translating these ancestral techniques into a contemporary furniture object, the Exhuma Dining Table by EWE Studio examines how material knowledge and craftsmanship continue to influence perceptions of value and design.

the finished Exhuma Dining Table, combining hand-carved green marble with cast aluminum

hand-carved green marble contrasts with the fluid form of cast aluminum

molten aluminum is poured into a sand mold to create the table’s base

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molten aluminum is poured into the hand-made sand mold, capturing the form of the Exhuma Dining Table

the table connects craftsmanship with the cultural history of metalwork

the sand mold is carefully defined by hand, creating the form that will shape the aluminum casting

historical casting methods inform the table's contemporary construction

the casting process behind the Exhuma Dining Table, using a hand-made sand mold to shape the aluminum

project info:

name: Exhuma Dining Table
designer: EWE Studio | @ewestudio

photographer: Rosa Peralta | @rosaaperalta

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom