Design
Sergio J. Matos
A piece from the Inaja Collection.
Image courtesy of: The Design Edit
Sergio J. Matos draws heavily on the rich artisanal culture of Brazil’s Northeast region. For the past seven years, the Brazilian designer has been making a name for himself in the international design circuit thanks to his individual style that combines modern sensibility with traditional regional craftsmanship.
Unique to Matos is that unlike other designers who gravitate to urban areas in search of cultural centers, he realizes that there is also a lot of creativity in rural areas. Born in Mato Grosso, Brazil’s westernmost state that borders Bolivia, Matos initially got a degree in advertising and marketing. While at Universidade de Cuiaba, he familiarized himself with design; following, he attended the design school of the Federal University of Campina Grande.
Arupemba Hammock
The bed consists of an aluminum circle structure and nautical rope suspended at both ends. At the edges are handles, or rings, which are attached to hooks.
Image courtesy of: 1st Dibs
Coming to the Northwest as an outsider allowed Matos to see beauty differently in “common” things. The region fueled the designer’s interest in creating pieces with a strong Brazilian identity. The unique location has been a defining factor in Mato’s career… bringing him into close contact with a wealth of traditional craftsmanship. This “artisanal quality” immediately appealed to Mato and became a central part of his creative process.
Getting rejected from big manufacturers allowed Mato to personally pursue the production of his pieces. He approached small, independent manufacturers and created a partnership to produce his designs. These relationships are still intact today… especially with the artisans who make Mato’s popular handmade hammocks. A big industry in Campina Grande, Mato began by using stronger threads that serve as the hammock’s hanging straps. Slowly, these special hammocks became Mato’s trademark!
A rendering of a piece scheduled to debut later this year.
Today, Mato produces both industrial projects for large manufacturers and limited-edition pieces which he calls “slow design” production items.
Image courtesy of: The Design Edit
Born in a region close to the Xingu indigenous reserve and surrounded by the forest’s natural diversity, Mato was always curious about his culture. He grew up admiring the natural materials and colors that the local indigenous people were able to extract from nature.
Mato says, “Our Northeast has a very rich culture and is my main source of inspiration. All my pieces have a reference to the area, be it through the artisans who help me produce them, or the materials I find there … or even just something I might have spotted at a street fair.”
REV 5891. Canvas and 100% cotton fabric. QV is a frame with glass and a foam-board bottom that is protected from moisture. 25% of the profits of each sale will go to the craftsperson featured in the photo.
Image courtesy of: Sergio J. Matos
The studio opened in 2010 and since then, it has won many national and international awards. Part of Matos’ passion is to strengthen the image of Brazilian design. Via the union of designers and craftspeople, entrepreneurial opportunities are becoming available within these small communities.
Sergio J. Matos sitting on one of his chairs.
Image courtesy of: The Design Edit, photographed by: Thayse Gomes
Matos develops furniture and decorative pieces that are 100% inspired by Brazilian culture and heritage such as identity, time-honored traditions, and memory. The designer uses traditional craft techniques to bring cultural heritage “to life” in the form of furniture. Brazilian landscapes, folklore events, sacred rites, and street fairs all come together to provide inspiration and create aesthetics. All of these events provided inventiveness to Matos… amazing inspiration indeed!
