José Zanine Caldas

Person

Designer

One of the most important names in Brazilian material culture in the twentieth century, José Zanine Caldas (1919-2001) continually reinvented his craft. From making maquettes, he became a pioneer in modern design and later moved on to create a body of work inspired by the preservation of native forests. He produced a vast and daring body of architectural work that championed wood and artisanal knowledge, becoming a touchstone of Brazilian design. Born on the southern coast of Bahia in Brazil, Zanine was a self-taught artist. He worked in Rio de Janeiro for some years before starting his first furniture company, Móveis Artísticos Z, in São Paulo. After becoming disillusioned with industrialization and appalled by environmental destruction, Zanine went back to the Northeast and experimented with chiseling and carving to create large-scale, sculptural works. He was a devoted steward of the forest and proponent of its protection, often using felled trees in his designs. R & Company NY 15.08.2022