There is never enough Nani, or at least, we think there isn’t.
KE-ZU supplier Nanimarquina is interviewed by online design platform DesignApplause about her new colleciton ‘Naturals’. A beautiful interview about design process, materiality, and the Nanimarquina message:
I think this collection is good for this moment because people have been waiting for this concept, they wish to connect with a natural and honest item that they use and cherish
See the entire interview here.
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The exhibition “Intinerancia de l’exposiciozona Intermedia. Disseny, Art, Societat” or better yet, translated to “Traveling exhibition “Intermediate Area. Design, Art and Society” is an intentionally collective of design, art and architectural projects, and their creators – focussing on several aspects of life within society.
Currently exhibiting at the Centre D’Arts Contemporanies in Barcelona, these projects demonstrate a commitment from the artists to social problems, and how they work towards change using parameters beyond their own specialties and practices. All the artists involved in some form play their part in encouraging the birth and utilisation of a more responsible, safer, more ethical environment than is currently the norm.
This exhibition highlights and prioritises human and social factors, over others such as business or formality. The pieces selected for the exhibition display projects in very different contexts, and with ambitions to deal with various aspects of social life such as health, food, the elderly, prison conditions, the use of urban space, the 15-M movement, relations between locals and newcomers, relations with other first world countries where labour is “cheaper”, or responses to “natural” disasters.
Forming part of the exhibition is KE-ZU supplier Nanimarquina. Nanimaruiqna is well known for her efforts in India, the main manufacturing country of the hand-made product, to reduce and eradicate child labour, and assist the children of carpet workers. Nanimarquina has been a member of Care & Fair since its inception. Care & Fair is an organisation founded by carpet importers abroad which aims to improve living conditions and provide training and decent, paid employment for families working in carpet production workshops. Nani also assists by funding a school in Bhadohi, a farming and carpet region of India from the proceeds of her Kala rug available at KE-ZU (above), designed by students of Care & Fair schools.
Nanimarquina’s new collection Naturals, launching at Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2013 focuses on materiality and versatility. The collection strong on natural colour and aesthetic – see the KE-ZU Blog post here.
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Nanimarquina, the green and ethically conscious Spaniard and rug manufacturing guru took a new approach for her 2013 campaign, with a collection titled “Naturals”, and releasing a black and cream dyed version of the popular Losanges II by the Bourroullec brothers.
LOSANGES II
Expanding on the colourful patterned original Losanges rug for nanimarquina which was an experiment reinterpreting the traditional Persian rug using the ancient kilim techniques, the Bourroullec brothers have taken these methods and introduced a black and cream version of the style.
Continuing its complex rhombus patterning using the labourious and technically complex method, no two rugs are the same and no doubt Losanges II is sure to win some hearts.
NATURALS
The new direction takes a deeper look at materiality and versatility. Colour saturation and hue has been pared back, while continuing the Nanimarquina focus on strength and aesthetic. Forging a new correlation between nature and flooring, the utilisation of materials such as Jute, Wool, Nettle and Silk. Nani says of the collection:
The intrinsic beauty of the natural fibres connects us with the natural world. These fibres, of organic origins such as nettle and jute, or of animal origin such as silk and wool, have been specially selected to create this collection of carpets and to reflect the plurality that nature has to offer.
Naturals falls into categories based on manufacturing processes using traditional methods such as hand-knotting, Indian dhurrie and kilim. The collection is then further sorted into colour availability; utilising a beautiful range of muted natural tones, the entire collection allows for a sustainable, ethical and elegant meditative pieces perfect for both the home and contract markets. A portion of the collection can be seen below.
Here at the ‘ZU we have a bit of a fascination for Spain. We aren’t alone – the world has an ever expanding love affair with the skilled European State, and with good reason. A land bearing some of the worlds most successful and well-known creatives in history is worthy of a humble mention here on the KE-ZU Blog.
The undeniable talent across every sector which has emerged from Spain is unstoppable and almost unfathomable. Think perhaps the genius brushstrokes of Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, fashion giant Balenciaga, every girls’ footwear fantasy Manolo Blahnik, the “L’enfant terrible” fashionista Paco Rabbane, marketing genius and comfort guru Camper, a huge spectrum of architectural brilliance delivered by Antoni Gaudi and Santiago Calatrava, multi-talented designer Javier Mariscal and culinary brain Ferran Adrià – what a list, and that’s just the start!
Spain has captured our hearts, and for more than just these monumental reasons – the work of the wider Spanish community in the cultural arts arena is nothing short of beautiful and while we’re on that, check out the astoundingly picturesque layout of the website Love Spain.
Love Spain is dedicated to creativity in Spanish design, architecture, art, fashion and food and the rolling image bank is a non-stop repertoire of all things creative hailing from the European land we adore.
All KE-ZU’s Spanish suppliers are featured on the site; nanimarquina in her award winning range of rugs immortalising the Spanish artist Edward Chillida (and the greater nanimarquina collection), Vondom’s progressive outdoor pieces, bd Barcelona’s Dali works and a selection of Sancal’s products!
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We never tire of our suppliers’ international success. We are proud to bring to you the recipient of the 2013 Wallpaper* Design Awards – Best Domestic Design Rug Collection Award – Nanimarquina for the “Collage 1966” collection! Judged by a plethora of international creatives such as Rick Owens, Wang Shu, Julian Opie, Oki Sato, Ferran Adria and Farida Khelfa, the exciting award is well deserved.
We featured the Nanimarquina graphic rug collection based on the work of Spain’s Eduardo Chillida on the blog here. The collection is available at KE-ZU, see more information here.
Well done Nanimarquina!
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…and we’ll send you a nanimarquina rug for your mouse
We want to get inside your head. But don’t be scared, it’s not in a sci-fi thriller sort of way, we are simply curious as to how you look for products, how you keep up with trends, how you get your inspiration and a few other questions in the same realm.
KE-ZU is undertaking a survey and we’d like you to participate. Understanding how you work is important to us and will help ensure that we are providing you with the support you need.
The best thing is, to sweeten the deal the first 250 responses will get a free nanimarquina rug for your mouse… on the house.
It will only take a few minutes… so click here to complete the survey and claim your free rug.
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We all know it’s impolite to ask a lady her age, but this is one milestone deserving of celebration – so much so that Nani Marquina is telling everyone how old her rug and flooring venture is… rightly so! The beautiful short film above is a wonderful Birthday Card!
Daughter of Catalan designer and architect Rafael Marquina, Nani 25 years ago established nanimarquina – now Spains leading rug design and manufacturer with global exports accounting for 60% of their business. Presenting fascinating designs from Tord Boontje, Javier Mariscal, Michael Lin, Cristian Zuzunaga, the Bouroullec Brothers and many more esteemed designers from textile, industrial, architectural and interiors backgrounds, nanimarquina continues to make the principle on which it was founded a reality:
…to reinvent the rug, giving it new uses, new concepts and playing with elements such as shape, colour and texture.
With manufacturing carried out in India and Northern Pakistan to capitalise on the regional skills and traditional rug making techniques, her conscious actions and considerable efforts invested in offsetting the stigma associated with manufacturing in these areas (accounting for child labour and staff exploitation) has seen her play an integral and founding role in the Care and Fair Program.
Established to set an example and raise awareness in the rug and carpet industry that working with social responsibility leads to better welfare for everyone.
With the conviction that this goal is achievable with the right help, Care & Fair basically works in two domains: education and health.
In all a talented, sound and admirable success story, the likes of which are buoying to see in the current European economic climate.
We congratulate Nani and her team and wish them every success for the coming 25 and beyond, KE-ZU are proud to be an extension of the global nanimarquina family.
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On the tenth anniversary of his death, the works of iconic Spanish artist Eduardo Chillida have been commemorated in a collection of rugs from Spanish design house: nanimarquina.
Enrolled in the University of Madrid’s architecture program from 1943, Chillida turned his back on the degree in 1947 in favour of more artistic pursuits that afforded him greater flexibility in his creative expression.
Basing himself in France, the San Sebastián native indulged his appreciation for free form and three-dimensional work by producing predominately clay and plaster sculptures to begin with – moving eventually to heavy metals and oxidised alloys. With his early work focused on human form and the human figure, Chillida soon began to marry his passion for architectural scaling and industrial processes to produce large public works that to this day are found across Europe and some further afield in the US.
What is beautiful about this collection of rugs (personally overseen by Nani Marquina), is that all seven in the series draw their inspiration and richness from the breadth of Chillida’s artistic and technical abilities. His sinuous, artisanal sketches of the female form and clasped hands are transposed beautifully onto rugs - with great effect - as effortlessly as the cubic and architecturally inspired step-carved rugs echo his proficiency at etching and passion for sculpting .
Keeping within a monochromatic palette and confining the collection to rectangular rugs Marquina has curated a tribute to Chillida that will imbue his work with a fresh new perspective for a whole new generation. The full Chillida Collection will be unveiled at Salone Mobile in Milan next week.
Rug images © nanimarquina
This custom sized Folk Rug from nanimarquina graces the sleek interior of this student club at the Tilburg University in the Netherlands.
Surrounded by design classics, set in such beautifully finished grounds make this one of the swishest campuses we’ve ever clapped eyes on.
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In November the 2011 Tokyo Designer’s Week (TDW) saw Spanish brands curated en masse in an exhibition titled: SPAINALIGHT a celebration of ‘light and passion’ staged at the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo .
Spainalight’s mise-en-scene pays tribute to the warm, Mediterranean light which Spanish designers make full use of in their work – a charming, playful light conducive to creativity, which celebrates innovation and avant-garde experimentation.
Showcasing 116 pieces by 43 designers and 52 companies, the exhibition was very well recieved and highlighted the shared Spanish/Japanese ethos of innovation as a driving force in creative persuits. Sancal, nanimarquina, Vondom, Andreu World, and Lzf Lamps (amongst others) celebrated the recent works of Patricia Urquiola, Bouroullec Studio, Mariscal and Jaime Hayon!
Recent disasters in Japan did little to dissuade participants and visitors to the annual fixture on the creative calendar. German architect Florian Busch was engaged as creative director for 2011. In the central exhbition centre not far from SPAINALIGHT the concept of exhibiting was given a fresh perspective:
Share on FacebookBy putting no restriction on the booth height and by arranging the booths in checkerboard street pattern, we have created a town-like exhibition space…