Hello listeners, during this episode we have a conversation with Fernando Laposse.
Fernando is a London based Mexican designer with a BA in product design from Central Saint Martins. He was born in Paris, France and his work is deeply rooted in material experimentation and craft with a great emphasis on self-production and the DIY culture. Fernando strives to transform materials which are cheap, readily available, and often waste or perishable matter, enabling him to make crossovers between product design and gastronomy. His projects aim to raise questions regarding whole system thinking, ephemerality, patterns of consumption and the politics of food production through the creation of design objects, performances, and videos.
Totomoxtle is a project inspired by the relationship of Mexico with its maize by creating a surfacing material from naturally coloured, native corn husks. The process is simple, the husks are flattened and glued onto veneer or MDF which can be sawed and laser-cut to create tiles or marquetry for interiors and furniture.
Apart from creating a sustainable material, the project also aims to raise awareness about the uncertain future of heirloom maize and the people that harvest it using traditional methods in an increasingly globalized world.
Check out Fernando's work at fernandolaposse.com and all things social: @fernandolaposse
Please share this episode with someone you love and stay shining!