In its 21st edition, which takes place from April 2 to 6 at the Bienal building, SP-Arte has established itself as the main platform for the Brazilian art and authorial design market, as well as being a vital event for artists, gallery owners, designers, curators, collectors, and researchers. Uniting iconic creations from the past and productions that exude contemporary freshness, the design sector increasingly gains prominence at the exhibition: in this edition, the number of designers rises to 81 (in 2024, there were 71) with the participation of 16 newcomers. Check out the main launches below!
Collection Archetypes | Vik Muniz for +55design
It is impossible not to admire the curious collection Archetypes, created by Vik Muniz for +55design, which suggests a manual craft. Inspired by the universe of a sewing kit, it stimulates memory, affection, and the stories that connect us to childhood. Every detail refers to the enchantment of the act of creating and transforming. "My approach in furniture design starts from the conversation between material and concept, between physical experience and the intellectual construction of objects. Furniture is archetypes, as they inhabit our memory and our visual repertoire. A chair or a table are archetypes; you use them your whole life, you have a model in your head. Even before using them, we already recognize them on a symbolic and linguistic level. My work develops in this game between mind and matter, between consciousness and phenomenon," explains the artist. Chair Dance | ,Ovo
Designers Luciana Martins and Gerson de Oliveira from ,Ovo presented the chair Dance at SP-Arte, which has the backrest as its main element. A frame in the shape of an irregular hexagon serves as a frame for the straw weave. The intersections and overlays of this weave form designs that go from the denser areas of the center to the more open edges. The set consists of different shapes of backrests, reinforcing the main characteristic of the series: a dance of lines and planes that plays with our gaze. Bench Rhythm | Rodrigo Ohtake for Granistone
Born from the partnership between architect and designer
Rodrigo Ohtake and
Granistone, the bench
Rhythm is part of a furniture collection created from
semi-precious rocks. The piece is composed of 100-kilo Amazonite blocks, held together by a leather strap that shapes the seat. "When sitting on the leather, a person feels the comfort and the blocks serve as support, but without being locked in place, precisely because of the weight," explains Rodrigo.
Bar Nouveau | Luisa Attab and Clemilson Saints for Designers Group Gallery
Created by designer Luisa Attab and artist Clemilson Saints, the Bar Nouveau reflects Luisa's research on the subversion of geometry, incorporating elements that provoke visual instability, especially through diagonal lines. To complete the piece, Clemilson's intervention was inspired by the organic forms of Brazilian fauna and flora, crafted in mortar and full of details that reveal the realism of his work. Fireflies of the Planet | Apartment 61
(Robert Schwenck/CASACOR)
This light sculpture in the shape of chains is made from reused plastic packaging in various colors and shapes. The work, represented by the gallery
Apartamento 61, is part of the project
Fireflies of the Planet, which works with a waste sorting center of
selective collection in Teresópolis, Rio de Janeiro, and NGOs dedicated to collecting material for
recycling. The project guarantees extra income and more visibility for the workers, who are paid for the sale and processing (cleaning and finishing) of the material.
Lines of the Earth | Superlimão
The studio
Superlimão sought in the
clay possibilities to work with this material that is so important in the history of civilization in a contemporary way. In this experiment, presented at SP-Arte, the clay gained a new perspective when molded by a
3D printer, uniting the digital to the handmade.
The office, which has as one of its pillars the fusion of the digital and the analog, developed a process that manipulates the machine's code programming to create organic surfaces and weaves in clay. Unlike what is expected from a conventional 3D printing — which usually constructs vertically — this approach allows exploring new volumes and structures. Despite the technological process, the air humidity, drying time, the natural shrinkage of the clay, and the temperature variation during firing influence the final result, making each piece unique. Collection Pulse | Nicole and Luiza Toldi
In this edition of SP-Arte, artists
Nicole and Luiza Toldi amazed visitors with an entirely dark stand, featuring furniture from Domingos Tótora and pieces with provocative shapes and textures. Driven by an incessant desire to create, they developed the unsettling collection Pulse, composed of
sculptures made from fragments of previous collections. Immersed in a process of free experimentation, the duo poses a question: what makes you pulse?
Collection Arcanum | Patricia Anastassiadis for Artefacto
Created by architect
Patricia Anastassiadis for
Artefacto, the collection
Arcanum evokes an aura of mystery. The inspirations come from points that connect in time and space. "Rome, the Eternal City, inspires me in various moments," says the professional, who proposes a
dialogue between art, design and the precision of handcrafted work. With precise lines and refined forms, the new collection includes tables, chairs, sofas, and armchairs, with highlights on the side tables adorned with mosaic tops.
Cloche | Ana Neute for Itens
(Nádia Simonelli/CASACOR)
Launched by
Itens and signed by designer
Ana Neute, the collection
Cloche is a tribute to Renaissance lace, recognized as intangible cultural heritage. According to
Mariana Amaral, creative director of the brand, more than just illuminating, these lamps tell stories through the art of the Rendeiras of the Aldeia de Carapicuíba — women who found a form of expression, autonomy, and cultural empowerment by preserving and passing down knowledge for generations. Coming from different regions of Brazil, with
varied stories, they rescue their roots by singing songs that give rhythm to the act of lace-making.
Curved Chair | Erik Bonissato for Bonni
The
Curved Chair is part of the
Legacy collection, signed by designer
Erik Bonissato, founder of
Bonni. It is an unprecedented series of
furniture and
lamps that explores the wide variety of shapes and finishes that the professional works with.
In the chair, the backrest, bases, and seat incorporate a striking curvilinear movement. It took about 18 months of study, sketches, and prototyping until the designer finished his first piece, which stands out for using noble materials such as natural oak wood veneer, polished brass, and velvet upholstery. Collection Serena | Cris Bertolucci
Signed by Cris Bertolucci, the collection Serena was inspired by the lightness of paper and the meditative calm that a diffuse light can provide. The lamps are made with translucent Japanese paper from natural rush, which softens the light incidence. The metal and polished brass structures bring a subtle shine to the pieces.
