Inspiration through material
Ripple chair, Arthur de Menezes • © Arthur de Menezes
CREATING THE UNPREDICTABLE
The work of Artur Menezes seems inseparable from one concept, namely plurality As an industrial designer, furniture maker and designer of digital projects, this creator, who is originally from Brazil and now lives in Barcelona, has taken on a discipline which, by its nature, is meant to be free of limitations. He owes this vision in part to his studies and his unusual career path. Indeed, he tells us, “my journey towards design was anything but conventional. I started out working in technology, and more specifically in the vehicle tracking sector. This experience naturally led me to pursue studies in electrical engineering. However, I eventually realised that this was not the path for me. Fortunately, while I was in this position, I discovered 3D tools. What started out as mere curiosity quickly turned into a passion, and then an obsession. This became the catalyst for my decision to pursue a career in industrial design.”
In 2017, he graduated from UNOPAR University, in his hometown of Londrina. This was a key period on his journey because it was here that he met Prof. Joao Nehring who would spark his passion for furniture and object design. When he arrived in Barcelona, he decided to gain a deeper understanding of the environment and obtained a Master’s degree in Design in New Materials at ELISAVA, the School of Design and Engineering of Barcelona. During these years of research and exploration, he laid the foundations of his professional life as a designer, leading him to become director of product design at the prestigious Six N. Five studio, before launching his own eponymous studio.
EXPLORATION AS A METHOD OF CREATION
The futuristic character of Artur de Menezes’ creations spring from his research, but also his constant readiness to experiment, which is a recurring theme of his creative process. “I always compare good design to jokes, not in the sense of comedy, but in how they function practically. For a joke to be funny, it has to subvert your expectations, and design works in the same way. Over the years, I have come to realise this through experience. Hand sketching and the digital exploration of shapes, often without any specific intention, has helped me develop a design process that embraces errors and mistakes. Whether through digital simulations or going back to a random sketch drawn months ago, I’ve discovered that these moments of unpredictability can spark new ideas and lead to new solutions. This approach allows me to play with the unexpected and even surprise myself,” explains the designer. This quest for surprises also prompted him to work with digital tools. Of his preferred software programs, namely Houdini, Redshift and Photoshop, AI has gradually become a testing ground for someone who places unpredictability at the heart
of his work.
FROM TEST TO COMPLETION
Artur de Menezes’ projects fall into the following three categories: design, experimentation and movement. So firstly, you have the creation of the furniture produced, then the testing to establish the foundations, and finally the setting in motion of these objects using software solutions. A creative triptych that demonstrates the importance of digital technology in his work, but in no way diminishes the value of the relationship with the material and his work, that is central to the design of his collections: “materials do not just shape objects, they communication the intention and arouse feelings through their colours, textures and even their smells. In my opinion, the shaping work and the new technologies go hand in hand, and I’m curious to see how this integration will continue to evolve and shape our daily lives in the near future.” •
