Design Miami 2019 – Fernando Laposse’s Pink Beasts ⇒ Design Miami/ is the global forum for design. Each fair brings together the most influential collectors, gallerists, designers, curators and critics from around the world in celebration of design culture and commerce. Occurring alongside the Art Basel fairs in Miami, USA each December and Basel, Switzerland each June, Design Miami/ has become the premier venue for collecting, exhibiting, discussing and creating a collectable design. Fernando’s Design Miami/ installation is the perfect pink inspiration for you today.
Fernando Laposse is a Mexican product and material designer who works between Mexico and London. He trained in Central Said Martins and holds a Bachelor in Product Design.
Fernando’s work focuses on transforming humble natural materials that are often considered waste into refined design pieces after extensive theoretical and practical research. The resulting objects which are often self-produced follow the principles “endemic design” where the location of materials and their historical and cultural connotations take centre stage.
For Pink Beasts, Laposse used cochineals, a tiny insect that is native to central Mexico and grows on the Upontia cactus, commonly known as the prickly pear. Cochineal produces the world’s brightest natural red dye, which was originally used by the Aztecs to colour everything from textiles to buildings. The cochineals are from an organic farm in the mountains of Oaxaca and dyed the fibres of the agave plant (also known as ‘sisal’) to make a landscape of pink.
Pink Beasts showcases the versatility of Fernando Laposse’s work. Strands of pink sisal tassels suspended through the trees will guide visitors to discover a collection of pink hairy sloths hung from trees and arches throughout the neighbourhood. Sculptural hammocks, created in collaboration with textile designer Angela Damman, will feature unbraided sisals with otherwise traditional Mayan design. These will hang on metal structures and directly on palm trees.
The installation was handmade by a community of Mayan weavers of Sacabah in Yucatán. By interacting with Pink Beasts at Design Miami/ and in the Miami Design District, visitors are reminded that there are still sustainable and organic ways of achieving vibrant colour.
