ESPASSO honors brazilian design at art basel miami beach

ESPASSO honors contemporary brazilian design at art basel miami beach

ESPASSO gallery — focusing on celebrating modern and contemporary brazilian art, furniture and design objects — brings forth never-before-seen pieces by such luminaries as oscar neimeyer, sergio rodrigues and jorge zalszupin, together with new works making their premier in the US by etel carmona, fernando mendes, carlos motta, claudia moreira salles zanini de zanine; in the all encompassing ‘em trânsito‘ exhibition. presented at the shore club in miami, one of south beach’s most legendary hotels, the venue is being redesigned by brazilian architect isay weinfeld who is set to transform the 3-acre beachfront property into a hotel and condominium complex for HFZ capital group. see more about the venture on designboom here.

general view of ’em transito’ exhibition at the shore club

opening during art basel miami beach 2014, ESPASSO takes the occasion to reveal for the first time, the last piece designed by sergio rodrigues before his recent passing; an armchair and stool by his grandson benjamin; a desk by oscar niemeyer which has never been produced — a work surface that expresses the late architects classic design sensibility — as well as the first ever re-edition of jorge zalszupin’s ‘annette’ armchair and ottoman originally design in the 1960s. the latter two pieces part of the ETEL collection and making their public debut on this occasion.

the expansive, blank interior offers an ideal site for showcasing the contemporary brazilian design pieces

other highlights of the exhibition include: isay weinfeld’s ‘farmacinha’ – a medicine cabinet made from stainless steel, oxidized brass and a combination of brazilian native woods; zanini de zanine’s ‘jacaranda’ – a one-of-a-kind bench made of rare brazilian rosewood; carlos motta’s ‘pinda chair’ – a handmade, ergonomically designed piece that projects tactual sensuality with spikes along its back that contrast the smooth wood front of the seat itself; claudia moreira salles’ ‘concreto bench’ – a seating object made from oak and concrete that draws its formal influences from minimalist sculpture; etel carmona’s ‘suchus’ – a stool made from alligator skin and wood which recalls the elegance and forms of 1930’s design; and the fernando mendes- and julia krantz-designed ‘grude’ – an armchair which marries artisanal and contemporary carpentry techniques, transforming compressed wood into a unique furniture item.

upper floor gallery

‘I’m very excited and proud to be presenting a group of designers who truly represent the best of contemporary brazilian design. this exhibit marks the first time we will be showcasing contemporary furniture in miami and we are honored that these designers are collaborating with us to create a major moment for ESPASSO. also with isay weinfeld designing the shore club, we could not think of a better location to premiere the exhibit,’ said carlos junqueira, ESPASSO’s owner and curator.

on view until january 4th, 2015, the pieces showcased in ‘em trânsito‘ are available for purchase through ESPASSO, who is the official US retailer of the works.

sergio rodrigues ‘benjamin’ armchair, ‘mocho’ stool, ‘moleca’ armchair on show

general gallery view

claudia moreira salles ‘concreto’ bench with isay weinfeld’s ‘farmacinha’ medicine cabinet

claudia moreira salles
concreto bench, 2014
american walnut, concrete
limited edition of 8 + 2 ap + prototype

the limited edition ‘concreto bench’ follows one vein of salles’ work, that gracefully balances design and art. inspired by minimalist sculpture and the purity of materials, the concreto mixes concrete and walnut.

oscar niemeyer
on desk, 1990’s
american walnut
W75″ x D23.5″ x H33″

designed in the 1990’s by legendary brazilian architect oscar niemeyer, the elegant curves of ‘on desk’ evoke niemeyer’s iconic architecture. the work surface is part of the etel collection.

zanini de zanine
vazada chair, 2011
ipe wood
W24″ x D27″ x H28″
limited edition of 2

the limited edition ‘vazada’ chair is a robust, yet sophisticated piece made from solid reclaimed wood, hand crafted into elegant, innovative, and comfortable angles and lines.

carlos motta
pindá chair, 2014
perobinha do campo wood
W23″ x D32″ x H30″
limited edition of 10

designed in 2014, the ‘pindá’ chair is made from reclaimed perobinha do campo wood, artisanally fabricated in an ergonomic design. the ‘pindá’ chair (translating to spike in native brazilian tupi), plays with the tactual sensuality and warmth of the wood, contrasting its ultra smooth front, with its spiked back.

fernando mendes and julia krantz
grude armchair, 2011
cedro naval wood and natural leather
W41″ x D36″ x H39″

a recent design by fernando mendes, ‘grude’ combines artisanal and contemporary carpentry techniques, in an ultra-comfortable, statement armchair. translating to ‘glued together’, mendes designed ‘grude’ as a snug loveseat, as its name also refers to the numerous strips of laminated wood that comprise the design of the chair.

jorge zalszupin
anette armchair and ottoman, 1960’s
metal, leather, fabric and imbuia wood
W30″ x D30″ x H27″ (armchair); W25″ x D22.5″ x H15″ (ottoman)

created in the 1960’s, by jorge zalszupin, the ‘anette’ armchair and ottoman are each comprised of a metal frame, leather strap base, and solid wood-carved arms; exemplary of brazilian mid-century design. this is the first re-edition of the ‘anette’ line since its original issue. ‘anette’ it is part of the etel collection.

etel carmona
suchus stool, 2014
american walnut, ecologically harvested alligator skin
W17.75″ x D15″ x H16″
limited edition of 10

reminiscent of the style and elegance of 1930’s design, etel carmona’s ‘suchus’ stool, is made from american walnut wood and alligator skin — sustainably harvested from a cooperative in the amazon, in the most conscientious and artisanal form. named after the scientific name of the alligator species melanosuchus niger, ‘suchus’ is part of the etel collection.

isay weinfeld
farmacinha cabinet, 2012
native brazilian woods, stainless steel, oxidized brass and perfurated metal
dimensions variable

isay weinfeld’s ‘farmacinha’ medicine cabinet is a composition of irregularly stacked compartments — ideal for exhibiting, rather than concealing, its contents. stainless steel, oxidized brass, and a mélange of brazilian native woods, comprise this revision of a traditional medicine cabinet. the piece allows the addition of extra modules according to the user’s needs, tastes… or even the degree of hypochondria.

carlos motta
asturias rocking chair, 2001
reclaimed peroba rosa
W30" x D42" x H30"

named after a surfing beach off the coast of são paulo, carlos motta’s 'asturias' rocking chair is characterized by a sharp and rustic appeal. motta designed the seating piece to have the smallest environmental impact possible, by utilizing reclaimed wood and simple lines, that require minimal machine cuts.

carlos motta
java chair, 2014
perobinha do campo wood
W23" x D32" x H30"
limited edition of 10

a recent carlos motta design, the ultra-comfortable 'java' chair is made from reclaimed peroba rosa wood molded laminates, oxidized iron and leather upholstery, complete with brass nails. combining a rustic and clean design, the java is representative of motta’s progressive style in its sophisticated and laid-back attitude.

sergio rodrigues
moleca armchair, 1963
tauari wood and canvas
W39.5" x D39.5" x H30" (armchair); W32" x D20" x H20" (ottoman)

designed in 1963, the 'moleca' is a lighter and more practical version of sergio rodrigues’ iconic 'mole' armchair.

sergio rodrigues
benjamin armchair, 2013
freijó wood, fabric and leather
W36" x D35.5" x H37"
special limited numbered edition

the 'benjamin' armchair is the last piece designed by sergio rodrigues. named after his grand-son, it features aspects of rodrigues’ past iconic pieces ('mole', 'diz', 'kilin'...), serving as a capsule design that represents the trajectory of his ouevre. the first series of the benjamin will be produced in a special numbered limited edition of 60, carrying a silver coin certificate of authenticity.

sergio rodrigues
mocho stool, 1954
cabreuva wood
ø 17" x H15"
special limited numbered anniversary edition of 60

the very first piece of furniture designed by master sergio rodrigues, the 'mocho' stool, takes aesthetic and functional cues from a traditional cow-milking stool, featuring a seat and legs sculpted out of solid cabreuva wood, shaped by the brazilian creative's signature bulbous forms.

zanini de zanine
jacaranda bench, 2014
jacaranda and ipe wood
W122" x D31" x H21"
unique edition

simple and luxurious, the jacaranda bench uses a rare and beautiful reclaimed plank of jacaranda wood (brazilian rosewood) for its seat, with very minimal interventions. this is a unique piece.

zanini de zanine
tripé floor lamp, 2014
ipe wood
ø22 x H67"
limited edition of 3

the design of the 'tripé' lamp, wittily contrasts the solidity of the reclaimed ipe wood, to its beveled and softened edges. mimicking a cushioned form, signature of zanine’s play with notions of hard and soft, the 'tripé' also, conjures the seminal solid wood design, of his late father, modernist designer jose zanine caldas.

carlos motta
foguete floor lamp, 2010
ø31.5" x H73.5"
reclaimed peroba rosa wood and iron
limited edition of 20

carlos motta’s limited edition 'foguete' floor lamp, is comprised of a solid, hand-crafted, reclaimed, brazilian peroba rosa wood lampshade, and an oxidized iron base. conjuring the futuristic form of a rocket, 'foguete' (translating to rocket) playfully contrasts the warmth and organic nature of its materials, to the aerodynamics of spacecrafts.