Culture / Design

Design: Campana Brothers Turn Trash Into Art

Inspiration can be found in the unlikeliest places, something we know all too well.

Jul 18, 2016 | By Vimi Haridasan

One man’s trash is another man’s art it seems, especially for the Campana brothers. The Brazilian designer duo made up of Humberto and Fernando find their inspiration from what many would not think twice about discarding. Their studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil is filed with a slew of items made from the unlikeliest of materials.

From armchairs made from rag dolls and stuffed toy crocodiles, the designers have made a name for themselves in the design world with their quirky creations. Unlike a normal studio, the brothers who have no formal training in design. What they have is a team of artisans who not only sew leather and brush fleeces but also enter data on computers. “This is a laboratory,” says Humberto, the elder of the brothers at 63. “We are always seeking new forms of expression” added the former law student.

They pride themselves in surprising viewers with their work, such as sofas made out of cardboard and plastic packaging that is transformed into chairs. Another design that has caught the attention of fans is the ‘Favelas’. The artwork, as explained by Fernando, is their interpretation of how Brazilians living in the country’s slums build their homes out of objects they find in the street.

While they have had their work featured in some of the world’s most prestigious institutions such as New York’s MOMA and the Pompidou Center in Paris, the brothers also give back to society. They work with small cooperatives and artisans to support traditional local crafts to help show off the cutural riches of the country.

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