Fernando Laposse with The Dogs shaggy benches. Photo by Pepe Molino.
Fernando Laposse has made a name for himself by questioning ethics. In particular, the artist has focused his lens on the ethics of agriculture and production and the waste products in which they result. For the “Ghosts of Our Towns” exhibition at Friedman Benda gallery in New York, Laposse’s first exhibit on his own, he dove deep into three particular materials – corn, agave and avocado – to express not just their creative and functional potential, but the need for attention to their complete lifecycle as well.
Agave cabinet
Laposse’s guiding mantra is “to get to the root, one must go to the soil.” And he has quite literally done just that, choosing to be involved in the life and times of the crops that find their way into his creations – from their planting and harvesting through to designing specifically with them in mind and fabricating the actual products. Revered for his design of products that exude personality, one could say these objects also have soul, as Laposse’s focus is not simply on utilizing often unexpected materials but on the livelihood of those who work the land where they are grown and live in proximity as well. According to the artist, “efforts to regenerate the land go hand in hand with efforts to regenerate community.” And he is an artist who walks the walk. In 2015, Laposse built on a lifelong relationship with the town and people of Tonahuixtla, a small village in the Mixtec region of Puebla, and founded a collaborative project and workshop. It was a joining together of both spirit and action that served to counter the erosion of the land and its surrounding community by finding real solutions, including material innovation and new craft techniques, some of which can be experienced in “Ghosts of Our Towns.”
Pink Furry Armchair
Laposse hopes an understanding of the farmed materials, their wide-reaching potential and their harvesting and production processes will expand awareness of necessary change, and that his creative work will instigate a sensory and conscionable reaction, leading to a societal shift in practices and the promotion of renewal where it is needed.
“Ghosts of Our Towns” is on show at Friedman Benda now through October 14. His work can also be seen at MoMA, as part of the exhibition “Life Cycles, the Materials of Contemporary Design.”
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