LAUFEN's impressões exhibition + talk highlights brazilian creativity at miami art week

LAUFEN’s impressões exhibition + talk highlights brazilian creativity at miami art week

during miami art week, LAUFEN hosts ‘impressões’ – a multi-disciplinary panel discussion that addresses how the art and design community in brazil is being challenged by the economy; and what the future of these disciplines in the south american country holds. on friday, december 4th, 2015 at 7PM, the LAUFEN showroom at miami ironside (7610 NE 4th court, miami) will become a venue where brazilian creatives and business people come together to analyze the current situation in brazil, and converse about how design and artistic practices can have the potential to make a positive social and financial impact.

LAUFEN’s ‘impressões’ – a multi-disciplinary panel
top: patricia anastassiadis, architect; antonio ferreira junior, architect; lauro andrade filho, director of expo revestir
bottom: jader almeida, designer and architect; marc viardot, director of marketing + products at LAUFEN; mara sartore, editor-in-chief of my art guides

the talk will include marc viardot, director of  marketing and products at LAUFEN, in conversation with jader almeida (designer and architect), patricia anastassiadis (founder and principal architect of anastassiadis arquitetos), lauro andrade filho (show director of expo revestir), antonio ferreira junior (co-founder of AMC – arquitetura e interiores); moderated by mara sartore (editor-in-chief of my art guides). RSVP for the talk is required by thursday, december 3rd, 2015. you can register by writing to: feedback(at)laufen.ch

ten brazilian creatives were invited to explore the notion of brazilianness with LAUFEN

to further emphasize and honor brazil and its culture, LAUFEN is presenting its travelling exhibition, also called ‘impressões’, to coincide with the talk. the ‘impressões’ project brings forth LAUFEN’s technological and material innovations in functional design, in which the leading sanitaryware company has invited 10 brazilian creatives — from the fields of architecture, design, fashion, photography and the general arts — to visually translate their impressions of brazil onto LAUFEN’s saphirkeramik washbasin conceived by andreas dimitriadis from platinum design. 

the resulting designs fresh out of the kiln

LAUFEN selected antônio ferreira jr. and mário celso bernardes; arthur casas; christian cravo; derlon almeida; jader almeida; joão armentano; marko brajovic; patricia anastassiadis; aicardo bello dias and ronaldo fraga; and gave each one free reign to explore themes and imagery which encompass brazil in their minds, the 380mm washbasin standing as their blank canvas. the result was ten graphically distinct designs, each one with a different aesthetic approach. the LAUFEN ‘impressões’ washbasins will not be sold. five of each motif will be produced: one intended for the artist/designer; two for charity institutions selected by each participant; and two for LAUFEN’s archive and for use in exhibitions worldwide. having debuted at the bienal pavilion in são paulo, and then moving onto designjunction in london, ‘impressões’ is being showcased at the LAUFEN showroom during miami art week, highlighting the concept of brazilianness in its various forms. the ‘impressões’ installation by LAUFEN is on show from december 3rd – 5th, 2015 at LAUFEN’s maimi ironside showroom (10AM-6PM).

ronaldo fraga, stylist

‘the importance of a new relationship with water resources, my design expresses the need to preserve and care for our rivers.’ – ronaldo fraga

man’s fish and fish is man – the inverse verso

ricardo bello dias, architect

‘rain dance is the inspiration behind our project. with this dance, we want to pay tribute to water and its vital importance to life.’ – ricardo bello dias

‘rain dance’

joão armentano, architect

‘we used striking landscapes of our country, such as the christ the redeemer monument and the buildings of brasilia, inspired, of course, by the work of the great architect oscar neimeyer. we also seek to portray our greatest passion – football, and also indigenous artwork – our most ancient roots, often forgotten, but always present.’ – joão armentano

armentano’s design is a diverse landscape of brazil’s culture

arthur casas, founder and principal architect of studio arthur casas

‘the result is a graphic-based text using the first constitution of brazil, as a reference to our formation as a nation. removed from this text are spaces forming drawings referring to roots – an allusion to our eternal interaction and inspired by nature.’ – arthur casas

arthur casas’ design is derived from the first constitution of brazil

atelier mark brajovic

‘to throw the sink in the water to cool off and play represents a brazilian metaphor of sharing, searching and having fun.’ – atelier marko brajovic

the whimsical imagery that expresses the fun and socializing of brazilians

christian cravo, photographer

‘my concept came from a memory of when I was a young photographer exploring my hometown. the images that most impressed me were the geometries and designs of folk art painted on the façades, tables and benches of ‘kiosks’ who served the revelers. my proposal is to merge the popular geometries of bahia with the smooth lines of LAUFEN.’ – christian cravo

the traditional folk art of brazil is translated onto christian carvo’s washbasin

derlon almeida, plastic artist

‘I explored flora and time, as it can enter the personal atmosphere and convey a sense of well being.’ – derlon almeida

derlon almeid’s exploration of brazil’s lush flora and fauna

patricia anastassiadis, architect

‘every line has its downside. you are trapped in a web of feelings …’ – patricia anastassiadis

patricia anastassiadis’ web of lines are connected by words that express feelings and ways of being

jader almeida, designer

‘the concept was to use lines to mark the mainstreaming of the project and the waves that span and unite cultures of different countries.’ – jader almeida

waves that span and unite make their way around jader almeid’s design

antonio ferreira jr. and mário celso bernardes, architects

‘we have arrested the theme ‘brazil verse and reverse’ and sought some icons found in rio and são paulo’s landscape. we have tried to synthesize the most important megacities in brazil through a drawing in pen and ink that shows in a simple and objective way, the face of brazil, and our ability to design.’ – antonio ferreira jr. and mário celso bernardes

a pen and ink drawing synthesizes the landscape of brazil’s important cities

the brazilian ‘impressões’ creatives with their finished designs