T h e r io t o f c o lo r , t h e a s y m m e t r y , th e
n a tu r a l m a te r ia ls r e s o u r c e fu lly r e m ix e d
w it h o r d in a r y b u t d e c o n t e x t u a liz e d o b je c ts
a r e a ll d e e p ly B r a z ilia n , b u t t h e y a ls o r e -
c a ll t h e M e m p h is - e r a I ta lia n d e s ig n o f t h e
1 9 8 0 s . “ I ’ m in flu e n c e d b y I t a lia n d e s ig n
b e c a u s e B r a z il a n d I t a ly a re v e r y e m o t i v e
c u ltu r e s ; b o th o f th e m w o r k b e t w e e n th e
p o p u la r a n d t h e s o p h i s t ic a t e d ,” A lm e i d a
e x p la in s . “ B u t in B r a z il, p o p is b a s e d o n
p o p u la r c u lt u r e —n o t b r a n d s m a k in g s t y le ,
b u t p e o p le .” M a k i n g e th n ic r e fe r e n c e s to
p r im it iv e A f r i c a n a n d in d ig e n o u s o b je c t s ,
h e w i l l s o m e t im e s s a m p le a n d r e m ix h is
o w n h e r it a g e in o b je c t s lik e th e M e h in a k u
t a b le , w h i c h w a s in s p ir e d b y th e b a s k e t s ,
g a r m e n ts a n d j e w e l r y m a d e fr o m a m ix tu r e
o f w o o l a n d p a lm t r e e s tr a w b y a tr ib e o f
t h e s a m e n a m e . “ H is w o r k d is tin g u is h e s
i t s e l f th a n k s t o h is c a p a c i t y t o a b s o r b all th e
d if f e r e n t c u ltu r e s fr o m h is c o u n t r y a n d h is
c i t y —A f r i c a n , B r a z ilia n , I n d ia n ,” o b s e r v e s
L a n s o n . “ H e m a k e s th e m h is a n d b r in g s o u t
p ie c e s fu ll o f s e n s e , v i t a l i t y a n d e m o tio n .”
A lm e id a s tu d ie s th e c r a ft s m e n h e w o r k s
w i t h c lo s e l y b u t a d m its th a t h e w i l l o f t e n
la te r s u b v e r t th e ir r u le s . A t t im e s , h e
is m o r e c r a fts m a n th a n d e s ig n e r , s e w in g ,
m o ld in g o r w o r k i n g w i t h w o o d , b u t h e is ,
s e a m le s s ly , b o th . H e d e s ig n s s o m e o f h is
p r o t o t y p e s , lik e t h e B a c k p a c k s h e lf, q u ic k -
ly . O t h e r s , lik e t h e A f r i c a c h a ir , t a k e y e a r s
t o “ r ip e n .” H e u s u a lly t a k e s p r o t o t y p e s
h o m e to li v e w i t h t h e m , e x p e r ie n c in g th e m
in a p e r s o n a l s e t t in g a n d m o d if y in g th e m
m o r e o f t e n th a n n o t. P r o t o t y p e s r e p r e s e n t
a w o r k in p r o g r e s s fo r A lm e id a in s te a d o f
a p r o d u c t r e a d y f o r m a n u fa c tu r e . I t is v e r y
im p o r t a n t , h e in s is ts , t o m a in ta in th is d e -
g r e e o f in t im a c y w i t h a n o b je c t. S o w h a t
w ill h a p p e n la te r th is y e a r , w h e n th e d e s ig n -
e r b e g in s t o p r o d u c e p ie c e s in g r e a t e r n u m -
b e r s ? S o fa r , h is a u d ie n c e h a s c o n s is t e d
p r im a r ily o f c o lle c t o r s — h e ’s e x h ib it e d , in
a d d itio n t o F a t G a le r ie , a t C o n t r a s t s G a l-
le r y in S h a n g h a i a n d H a b it a r t in P o r t o
A le g r e , B r a z il. I t s e e m s u n lik e ly , th o u g h
o n e d o e s n ’ t k n o w q u ite w h y , th a t th e “ a r t ,”
t h e a r t is t r y a n d th e a r tis a n a l q u a lit y o f h is
w o r k w i l l s u ffe r : “ F o r m e , a r t is n o t a t e c h -
n iq u e . I n th e s a m e w a y th a t a c h a ir c a n
b e fu n c t io n a l, a p a in tin g c a n b e , as w e l l .”
A lm e id a s m ile s s o f t ly . “ I d o n ’t s e e a d if f e r -
e n c e b e t w e e n a rt a n d d e s ig n .” +
Shonquis Moreno is a Brooklyn-based writer
who contributes to
F r a m e , M a r k , D w e l l
and
other publications.
Right:
Sequin side table,
2009, wood, paper,
leather 17% x 17% in.
Bottom:
Africa chair, 2009,
wood, rope, 31 Vi x
19% x 23V2 in.
A lm e id a ’s m a sh -u p o fm a te r ia ls , te x tu r e s a n d co lo r
b e lie s th e g r e a t c la r ity o f lin e a n d fo r m in h is p ieces.
aug/scp 10
american craft 027
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