Atelier Fig – Ruben Hoogvliet and Gijs Wouters met during their studies at the ArtEZ art academy in Arnhem, thanks to a shared interest in materials and a love of crafts and nature. After graduation, they joined forces, merging their experiences in Atelier Fig, a studio that designs and creates collectible objects. Together they have developed a revolutionary method for working with ceramics, fascinating in every one of its phases. From modeling to the finished product.
The Back Studio – Behind this abstract name lurk two artist/designers, Eugenio Rossi and Yaazd Contractor, both based in Milan. Together they create objects (mostly lamps, but also other things) that are like “raw” collages of industrial materials but are actually very refined, formulating an intriguing aesthetic. Halfway between art and design, between the irreverent and inventive spirit of the ready-made and the playful monumentalism of the Postmodern.
Sabourin Costes – A duo formed by Paola Sabourin and Zoé Costes, both based in Paris and former students at Design Academy Eindhoven. Their projects (objects, furnishings, interiors) always begin with observation: the fascinating reflections of a material, a new way of shaping resin, a handle on a cabinet. The result is an aesthetic made of vibrant colors and materiality, constructed through experimentation and collaboration with artisans.
Nifemi Marcus Bello – An industrial designer born in Lagos, Nigeria, where he lives and works, he studied at the University of Leeds, taking a degree and then specializing with a masters in Product Design. His approach combines a brilliant style with a focus on community and ethnography. A winner of the Hublot Design Prize last year, he has also been selected by the Dutch Prince Claus Fund as a participant in the mentorship program Building Beyond.
Helder Barbosa – After training as a designer-artisan at the prestigious École Boulle in Paris, where he resides, he began to create furnishings with soft minimalist forms, utilizing materials in a very interesting way: ceramic treated like plastic, concrete, anodized aluminium in intense colors. He makes his pieces in his own workshop, where he handles the entire creative process, from design to production.
Gonzalo Bascuñan – Born in Chile and raised in Santiago, where he took a degree in industrial design, he also studied in Valencia and at the Milan Polytechnic; he settled in the latter city after gaining work experience in Leipzig and Amsterdam. Last year his Carding Chair was one of the finest pieces in the competition Ro Guiltiless Plastic organized by Galleria Rossana Orlandi. His approach combines essential design and creative originality.
