I was invited by Manuel Días Cebrían to be a curatorial consultant to the design section of Pinta London 2013. Pinta is dedicated to modern and contemporary art from Latin America and takes place in both New York and London each year. Below is a reproduction of the curatorial text I wrote:
"In selecting these videos, I wanted to share the things I am most excited about right now - designers and projects I learned about during my recent travels to Design Days Dubai and a research trip to Brazil. The video "Carrinho de Café" was part of the fantastic exhibit Design da Periferia by Adélia Borges. This video shows us design at its best: a catalyst for solutions, entrepreneurship, and smiles.
"Noize Chair" by Guto Requena was a much needed re-evaluation of our (exaggerated?) reverence for certain individuals and objects in design history, especially mid-century design. Plus, by using 3D printing, Guto forces us to question whether "Brazilian" design will be produced in Brazil in the future.
Rodrigo Almeida combines two of my passions in his work: references to Memphis and race. He refuses minimalism and takes on Afro-Brazilian history.
Last but certainly not least, Studio Swine's "Can City" project brings together the design worlds of London and São Paulo. Their thoughtful project reveals how cross-national collaborations among designers and design collectives can lead to necessary and enriching re-definitions of what is "Brazilian" design."
This project was the first #UploadDesignBrasil initiative.
A special thank you to Adelia Borges and Olivia Yassudo Faria of Coletivo Amor de Madre for helping us with this project.
