11 Highlights from Zonamaco Diseño
The ninth edition of Zonamaco Diseño was held Feb. 6-10 in Mexico City, in conjunction with the 16th edition of Zonamaco México Arte Contemporáneo. Established by Zélika Garcia, Zonamaco Diseño has become a reference in Latin America and this year, under the curation of Cecilia León de la Barra, featured more than 30 exhibitors presenting limited-edition furniture, decorative accessories, and jewelry from 1960 to the present day.
“We were very excited with the participation of gallery Kurimanzutto in our 2019 edition with ‘Sillas de México’ by designer and architect Oscar Hagerman,” said León de la Barra. “This exhibition presented the chairs Hagerman designed throughout his career, illustrating his closeness with craftsmen from different regions of Mexico.”
Diego Rivero Borrell and Proteak specially designed furniture for different spaces of the fair, giving it a new aesthetic. Anfora, Breuer, Esrawe, EWE Studio, Mool, Xinú, and Odabashian were just some of the many names that were part of the show.
1. Zenn Vase by Axioma: The Zenn vase consists of two pieces that represent a balance between the sea and the land. “To emphasize these two elements, we decided to manufacture them in high-temperature ceramics with three finishes—mud slip, black enamel, and mottled white—creating different textures in the same piece,” said Beatriz Ortiz and Irving Geminiano, founders of Axioma.
2. ISE-R earrings by Iker Ortiz: Created by Mexican designer Iker Ortiz, the new jewelry collection “Eleven” uses color as its central element. Drawing inspiration from the Dutch De Stijl movement (also known as Neoplasticism), which advocated for pure abstraction and universality, it relies on the essentials of form. The ISE-R earrings are made in sandblasted stainless steel and acrylic.
3. RIMA credenza by Peca: Every piece designed by Caterina Moretti for her furniture and objects brand Peca, which is based in Guadalajara, reflects her passion for working with natural materials and exploring textures and shapes in collaboration with craftsmen and other designers. “There is a fine line between the practical object and the art piece,” Moretti says. “That is exactly where our handmade RIMA credenza stands. Borrowing the flow and rhythm of a poem, a cadence created with beechwood slats envelop the smooth wooden top in a flawless oval. RIMA’s harmonic lines yearn to be explored with the senses.” Presented at Zonamaco Diseño by itinerant gallery Capitales.
4. Sillas de México by Oscar Hagerman: Highlighting the importance of Oscar Hagerman’s contributions to design meant for every day, gallery Kurimanzutto presented a selection of chairs created by the architect and designer throughout his career in collaboration with artisans from Mexico. “I have tried to make my constructions in a simple way, as people in the communities know how to make them,” Hagerman says. “Industrial design teaches us to look for original forms, but the greatest achievement is to create a universe that belongs to people and make them feel like they own and create it.”
5. Megáfono by Talavera de la Reyna: Founded by Angélica Moreno in 1990, Talavera de la Reyna workshop focuses on preserving traditional processes from Mexico. Moreno also launched a gallery in 2010, with both based in Puebla. Megáfono is part of the “Aquí entre arte-Sanos” collection. “We worked with artisans from different regions in the state of Puebla,” Moreno says. “The piece was made with burnished clay from Los Reyes Metzontla and finished with talavera.”
6. Perfumes by Xinú: Using raw materials and beautifully designed bottles, Mexican perfume brand Xinú—which means “nose” in the indigenous Otomi language (still present in various regions of Mexico)—pays homage to the visual and olfactory grandeur of the continent’s plant species. “America symbolizes vastness and exoticism, a permanent search and discovery,” the Xinú team says. “[The brand] is a reflection of botanical richness, artisanal mastery, cutting-edge design and olfactory delight.”
7. K’oopte Chair by La Metropolitana: Presented by Studio IMA—a cultural venue and design gallery that opened its doors several months ago in Mexico City—the K’oopte chair by La Metropolitana is handcrafted and made of ziricote wood. “Design and architecture should not be limited by form or tendencies, but empowered by the deep understanding of capabilities and limits,” says the team at La Metropolitana.
8. Pimienta lamp by Mob: Through the organic lines of the Pimienta lamp, Mexico City-based Mob explores the translucency of a stone material, which is synonymous with timelessness and gives any interior space a classic and sculptural touch. Available in two sizes and two colors (white or black), the Pimienta lamp is made of turned marble and solid brass.
9. Trama collection by Esrawe Studio: Made from wood and brass, this limited edition collection made up of 20 pieces per size (in three formats: two vertical and one horizontal) was inspired by the temporary structures used in construction. “The primary wood structure supports a series of randomly placed interlocking brass ledges, which, in some cases, drive the continuity of the structure,” says Héctor Esrawe, who designed the Trama collection. “The rawness, transparency and possibility to be explored and inhabited along their entire perimeter endow the pieces with a sculptural expression.”
10. Boom Sofa by Mool: This curvy sofa—which is part of the “Thoughtless Emotional Furniture” collection—combines velvet fabrics in three tones. “The subtlety of the lines captures the gestures of emotions that give warmth and freedom to our lives,” the Mool team says.
11. Copal Side Table by EWE: Composed by four identical pieces linked together with hidden locks—giving the feeling that three of them are hovering in the air—the Copal side table is available in Tikal green marble, volcanic stone, and wood. This piece is part of EWE Studio’s latest collection “Sincretismo,” which draws upon the ancient wisdom, rituals, forms, and materials of pre-Hispanic cultures.
