In ROJO at the sala Vinçon The most international habitat design companies and producers exhibit at the Vinçon Gallery, Barcelona.
The designs, all produced in red for the occasion, are on display in an exhibition created by the studio Arquitectura-G.
The ROJO exhibition is a display of the most representative pieces of contemporary design. They are objects that have been conceived, devised and produced entirely in Spain and are now celebrated examples within the international habitat-design panorama.
RED (Reunión Empresas de Diseño) is an association of Spanish companies that produce design for the habitat sector. It groups together those that have the most international presence and is headed by the designer and businesswoman Nani Marquina.
Through the pieces on display, each creator puts forth the values of good design, auteur design, and a commitment to high quality, longevity and sustainability. When seen together they represent values that are similar to those of the famed ‘creative cuisine’ from Spain, that is, artistry and creativity at an accessible price. It is a market sector that is often overlooked by the public at large, but is esteemed by decorators and those familiar with the core substance of ‘Spanish design’.
The emerging Arquitectura–G studio has designed an exhibition format that can be moved from site to site using multiple modular configurations that adapt to different spaces. In this instance, the scenography takes the stairway that ascends to the Sala Vinçon as a reference point, and creates a new set of stairs that continues into the sala itself, thereby emphasizing the original. The steps are converted into formal display stands for the pieces on show, adapted to their dimensions.
The peak of this stairway-pyramid is crowned with the geometric Mettsass table, a piece republished by BD Barcelona in red and black. There are more ‘new classics’ in the way of the standing TMC lamp by Miguel Milà which has been published by Santa&Cole for 50 years and was improved on in 2011, the Roses rug Nanimarquina, designed by the founder of the company and featuring woven red ‘petals’, and Lluís Porqueras’ Funiculí lamp (1979) – reproduced by Marset.
Also forming part of the show are innovative pieces such a tablestool- tray set by Ramirez Carrillo for Delica and Sail, a svelte chair designed by Piergiorgio and Michelle Cazzaniga for Andreu World. From KriskaDECOR comes an anodized metallic curtain in red – chosen by Fernando Amat (the director of Vinçon) to decorate the famed Dos Palillos restaurant, and here shown in the Gernika room divider.
There are pieces that take visual reference from the classics such as the Warm Collection by Ramos & Bassols for Vibia, the Tabasco armchair from the designer Jorge Pensi for Cármenes, the Butaqueta Alta chair by Joan Lao for Indesign and Talo by Sebastian Herkner for Sancal – a reworking of a classic hotel armchair.
Evocative pieces include the dreamy Chou lamp by Yonoh Studio for LZF Lamps, The Parrot Party Collection by Lladró Atelier and printed textiles signed by Gaston y Daniela and created by Jesús Garabieta and Equipo DRT - the expert producer of spun and woven fabrics and finishes.
On a parquet floor created by Energia Natural stand chairs designed by architects. Of the highest order is the Iesu chair by Rafael Moneo for Ondarreta Contract and the Fontal chair by Oscar Tusquests, here in a rattan version made for Expormim. They have been laid with the sensual, cozy Jazz blankets from Teixidors.
Intense surfaces include authentic red silestone from the Almeriabased company Cosentino, the Lisboa chair from the Catalan designer Joan Gaspar for Resol and the Sapporo coffee table by Jordi Pallejà for MadeDesign. Also to be mentioned are the Om armchair by Martin de Azúa for Mobles 114, the classy furniture range from the Basque Treku company, the skillful upholstery techniques of Joquer, the new Maná seats by MyOruga concept, and the Duo lamp designed by Ramón Valls for Estiluz.
This is the first exhibition Red has organized in Spain. The association has put on previous shows in New York’s Grand Tribeca Hotel, the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Franz Mayer in Mexico DF, the Centro Cultural Clavijero de Morelia (Mexico) – a show which brimmed with the creativity of Apparatu and Alex Trochut. Red has also participated in international events in Stockholm, Milan, Paris, Berlin, Cologne and London.
ROJO has a precedent; in 2008 an event was organized at the Conran Shop in NYC (also called Rojo) in which brands such as Nanimarquina, BD and ABR (amongst others) were displayed in an exhibition design by Luis Eslava. This exercise was the beginnings of Red, or the Reunión Empresas de Diseño. The association was started in order to create synergy in international promotion and brand awareness of its member companies.
