Plant Based Design Residency #5 - Wicker
The event is a one-to-one residency - Passa Ao Futuro invited and challenged one designer to collaborate with a wicker basket weaver.
About
10 – 21 June 2024 | Viatodos, Portugal | Passa Ao Futuro
Designer: Toni Grilo, craftsman: Abílio Pereira
A wicker basket weaver and a designer will work together and create a small collection of contemporary utilitarian objects that can go into production. It will take place in the Artisan’s workshop located in the garage of his two-story concrete house, it’s a large, 200m2 open space, divided into different rooms for different purposes through self-made concrete block walls – storage, workshop, sales/display -, and with a big door that brings in good natural light.
Designer:
Toni Grilo, Designer and Art Director, was born in France where he graduated from the École Boulle in Paris in 2001. He immediately went to Lisbon, continuing to develop projects in France. In Portugal, while finding its roots, he discovered a rich country in industry and crafts and he became obsessed by the beauty of technical processes and materials. After various collaborations, he decided to stay permanently in Portugal: in 2005 he founded his first agency, Objection, with the designer Elder Monteiro. In 2008 he opened his own studio, where he is focused on creating products, furniture and scenography.
Craftsman:
Working in basketry for over 55 years, Abílio Pereira learned to make baskets from a neighbour, at the age of 14. Throughout his life he has had several professions, namely in the sectors of resin extraction, textile weaving and building industry. At the age of 40 and following a kidney disease, he decided to dedicate himself exclusively to basketry. He currently cultivates a small plantation of basket willow, to ensure his production locally and avoid the international import of the raw material, and also uses wood from invasive tree species as it has no other uses. He makes mostly picnic baskets, furniture and lighting, combining metal frames with woven shells. All production is done in-house.
