PLANT BASED DESIGN RESIDENCY #1 - Soft Rush
The event was a one-to-one residency - Passa Ao Futuro invited and challenged one designer to collaborate with a junco basket weaver.
About
18 Oct – 1 Nov 2023 | Coz, Portugal | Passa Ao Futuro
Designer: Sam Baron, craftsman: Nuno Henriques
Sam and Nuno created a small collection of contemporary utilitarian objects that will go into production. The residency took place at Toino Abel’s workshop which spans an area of 200 m2, with 2 manual looms, a warping mill, office, photo studio, shipping station, and ample storage space for dyed and natural soft-rush, jute and other yarn bobbins.
Designer:
Sam Baron, designer, with degrees from the Fine Arts School of Saint Etienne and the National Decorative Arts School of Paris, challenges traditional construction methods, questioning the relevance of contemporary material production. As an independent designer, he collaborates with international brands like Dior Maison and Diptyque. Based in Portugal and France, Baron was recently honored as Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Craftsman:
Inspired by his great-grandfather’s business – whom he never met -, Nuno Henriques learned the technique with the remaining local artisans and founded TOINO ABEL to preserve this tradition, introducing innovations that helped local artisans thrive, thus inspiring new producers. TOINO ABEL started producing in-house, offering dignified working conditions, breaking the piece-rate payment system, and today, thanks to the dedication to excellence, soft-rush basketry flourishes again. The brand’s emphasis on quality craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail is apparent in every piece, and TOINO ABEL is committed to responsible waste management and ensuring dignified working conditions for its team of dedicated artisans.
