Fernando Laposse

Fernando Laposse considers important environmental concerns through extensive research into the location of materials and their historical and cultural connotations. This has fuelled his passionate interest in sustainability, reversing the loss of biodiversity and community disenfranchisement. His sisal bench presents the material in its raw state to demonstrate the simplicity of process from plant to final product. Fernando harvests and crushes the fibres, combs and knots it by hand to make his hairy furniture pieces. 

Fernando's hairy furniture pieces are made with Mexican sisal, the raw fibres from the leaves of the agave plant, which are typically used to make ropes, carpets and fishing nets. Once a large industry in the country, the production of sisal came to a halt after the invention of plastics. Fernando works with rural communities to harvest and process sisal and other indigenous crops, such as corn. His aim is to establish new and long-term industries in the country’s agricultural sector through the development of contemporary design materials.

Fernando has exhibited in international group shows such as Future Heritage, London (2019); Broken Nature at the Triennale di Milano (2019); Nature at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian, New York (2019); Food, Bigger than the plate, Victoria & Albert Museum, London (2019); Victor Papenek, The Politics of Design, Vitra Design Museum (2018); and Design after Darwin, Venice Design Biennale (2017). In 2018, he was a Hublot Design Prize finalist and was part of the Beazley Designs of the Year at the Design Museum, London.