Exhibition Details

Galerie Philia is delighted to present Transatlántico, a fully immersive exhibition of sculptural design from Latin America, taking place in Mexico City from 8-12 February 2022.
 
Coinciding with Zona Maco, the exhibition spotlights the new generation of Latin American designers, hailing from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, in dialogue with leading designers from Europe exhibited in Mexico for the first time. In line with Galerie Philia’s core philosophy, Transatlántico celebrates artistry as a medium to transcend societal, cultural and geographical boundaries, using design to bridge Latin American and European discourses and influences within the creative sphere.
 
Among the highlights are striking chairs by Cristián Mohaded who explores carpentry made using native woods such as missionary moor cedar and other endemic Argentinian materials; geometric furniture and decorative objects by Breuer Estudio, inspired by the pure lines of Constantin Brancusi’s sculptures. Further highlights include La Macorina by Verdi Design, a pendulum-type sculpture composed of 4,000 handmade knots in Amazonian fibre and a feathered exterior that subtly transforms into a hammock, the OBJ-01 new collection of floor and table geometric lamps by Manu Bañó, made of pure steel and brass, and the latest series of lighting objects by VIDIVIXI.
 
Environmental design using natural fabrics and sustainable, earthy materials feature prominently in the show. Major works include Alejandra Aristizábal’s striking artisanal compositions made with fique, a native plant from the Andean region, transformed into textiles and ropes; Caralarga’s exceptional woven designs made from discarded fabric waste and natural raw cotton and the exquisite ethereal rugs by Hechizoo that integrate both natural and industrial materials, giving textiles new properties. Further highlights include the ecological work of Estudio Raffreyre and their multidisciplinary team of creatives, composed of basketry artist David Goicochea, textile artist Elvia Paucar, visual artist Ana Teresa Barboza and architect Rafael Freyre, skilled in traditional Peruvian artistic practices. Smaller decorative objects complete this panorama, with the gorgeous sculptural clay ceramics of Ila Ceramica, the botanical-inspired Ceiba lamps by Chuch Estudio and Geografías Artificiales, a new series of vases by Rodrigo Bravo.
 
Turning to Europe, the hotly anticipated designer Vladimir Naumov introduces his bold and fantastical Yeti Sofa, while Italian architect and designer Pietro Franceschini unveils his new collection, Urania, which comprises several funky furniture pieces that double as standalone statement pieces. The fruit of an exciting collaboration, the Overgrown Bubbles collection consists of unique mouth-blown glass lights created by Alex De Witte and overgrown with natural crystals produced from a liquid developed by Mark Sturkenboom. A half-moon shaped cabinet by Pierre Valck, encrusted by hand with a unique green malachite has been specially created for the exhibition. Further highlights include brutalist furniture in bronze by Rick Owens with different finishes in black, gold or nitrate, and a new version of the classic Moon necklace pendant light by Ludovic Clément d’Armont.
 
Unfolding across 700sq m² of gallery space and a specially designed rooftop, the exhibition takes visitors on a multisensory journey of vibrant sight and sound displays, with Andres Monnier’s signature rugged boulder fire pits illuminating the space and scents diffused through functional pieces engineered by Rio de Janeiro-based architectural Studio Roca to evoke the Mexican ecosystem.
 
The immersive scenography is organised in collaboration with acclaimed luxury events company, House of Kirschner, renowned for their avant-garde ephemeral installations imagined by their team of talented professionals. Drawing from Mauricio Kirschner’s exceptional creative eye and extensive experience as an architect, Transatlántico brings together the finest food, sound, sight and olfactory experience under one roof, transforming the space into a memorable moment of the Zona Maco art week.