estúdio campana sculpts sabai grass atuxuá cabinet with æquō

æquō & estúdio campana join forces

æquō, India’s first collectible design gallery, joins forces with Estúdio Campana to introduce the Atuxuá cabinet, a manifestation of shared cultural visions through design. Founded by Tarini Jindal Handa, æquō is a unique platform that honors the country’s rich artisanal heritage with a focus on collaborations with global contemporary designers. The gallery is curated by creative director Florence Louisy.

Meanwhile, for over four decades, brothers Humberto and the late Fernando Campana have transformed everyday scenes of life into extraordinary sculptural pieces, paying homage to their homeland, Brazil. In alignment with æquō’s mission, Estúdio Campana and æquō come together to explore and honor the cultural tapestry of both Brazil and India. Humberto Campana, the creative force behind the Atuxuá cabinet, delves into India’s history, techniques, and raw materials to craft a masterpiece infused with Indian culture.

images courtesy æquō

a fusion of indian and brazilian cultures in design

The Atuxuá cabinet takes shape as an example of the careful craftsmanship and cross-cultural inspiration between æquō and Estúdio Campana. Conceived as an exclusive solo piece, this cabinet is brought to life in Jaipur, in collaboration with æquō’s partner workshop, Frozen Music. Named after indigenous Brazilian masks renowned for their intricate craftsmanship and symbolic significance, the Atuxuá cabinet showcases the intrinsic beauty of Sabai grass — a raw fiber native to India.

Designer Humberto Campana comments: ‘For this collaboration, I wanted to work with raw materials and take into consideration a craft traditional from India, which is why the Atuxuá piece is made with natural fibre and brass. The intricacy of the Sabai grass and the metalwork represents a parallel between the spirituality, rituals, and religious syncretism we can find both in India and Brazil.’

æquō and Estúdio Campana collaborate on the Atuxuá cabinet, a unique Indo-Brazilian masterpiece

Sabai Grass and Contemporary Design

Drawing inspiration from India’s diverse landscape and the traditional shape of bamboo objects, the Atuxuá cabinet seamlessly blends historical significance with contemporary design. The cabinet features a solid brass structure adorned with a grass covering meticulously tied together with delicate brass wires. This intricate process faithfully emulates the traditional technique used to bundle grass for trade, paying homage to historical practices.

The wild coat of Sabai grass covers a solid brass structure that comes to life when the cabinet’s door opens, revealing a gleaming interior. Weeks of dedicated craftsmanship and detailed handwork were invested in sewing each blade of grass onto a bamboo lattice. This labor-intensive process recreates the impressive mass that Sabai grass represents during its harvest, bringing forth a visually stunning and culturally rich piece.

designer Humberto Campana honors Brazil through its sculptural pieces

‘Prior to working with Tarini, I spent time in São Paulo working with the Campana brothers, where I further developed my passion for craftsmanship and its origins,‘ says æquō creative director Florence Louisy. ‘Estúdio Campana’s respect for culture and craft was very inspiring and my experience with them informs my work today. It is important to understand the local culture, materials and intricacies of fine craftsmanship in order to design well – this is at the heart of our creations – and Humberto understands this instinctively.’

India’s first collectible design gallery, æquō, celebrates the nation’s rich legacy of craft

‘We are interested in working with designers that appreciate craftsmanship, materiality, and the creative possibilities of true collaboration,‘ adds Tarini Jindal Handa. ‘Humberto Campana has embraced our ethos as it shares a deep synergy with Estúdio Campana’s principles. The result of our first collaboration is a truly unique piece with soul that celebrates the land of India, its people and traditions, but feels completely contemporary.‘

the cabinet’s design features Sabai grass, a raw fiber native to India, carefully crafted in Jaipur