Creative talk

Gabriel Escàmez

Wednesday 20 January 2021

Spreading the craftsmanship and enhancing the Mediterranean arts, this is what touches us in the work of Cobalto Studio .

Values and a common vision that brought us together around the design of our first Spanish store in Madrid.

On this occasion we had the opportunity to exchange with Gabriel Escàmez, founder of this multidisciplinary creation agency.

"Notre concept global fait allusion à un atelier d'artiste, dont les pièces offrent une réminiscence du cubisme et de l'art africain traditionnel"

    Can you tell us about Cobalto? How was the studio born?
    Cobalto Studio was born in 2015 as an evolution of Gabriel’s work with the mission to explore the cultural expressions of the Mediterranean and bring them into different fields covering from art direction and set design to architecture and interior design, but also including the curation and edition of unique objects. All of the different teams portray the essence of Cobalto which sources inspiration from rationalist architecture, folklore, crafts and the vernacular artistic expressions of the Mediterranean coast. Our intention is to promote the richness and ethos of such ancient culture but with a contemporary twist as a way to maintain its relevance today. As a natural evolution of that purpose, La Cobalta project arises in order to promote the Mediterranean popular culture through curated selection of objects uniquely edited and designed objects including lighting, ceramics and books.
    
You have just finalized the design of our boutique in Madrid, how did this project begin? 
    Sessùn contacted us to lead their opening in Spain and we couldn’t be more excited. The vision of the brand is very aligned to the cultural heritage that also represents Cobalto Studio. Therefore this collaboration gave us a very special opportunity to delve deeper into our roots and the artistic expressions that we love.
    
What were your main inspirations?
    The overall concept alludes to an artist's workshop, whose pieces offer a reminiscence of Cubism and traditional African Art. Besides the cubist scheme that runs throughout the design, some stone blocks that have been almost excised from the quarry in a very brutalist way, can be also be found both on the counter and in other parts of the store. We also included art pieces that brought us back to a more essential expression of nature (using natural fibers such as linen, robe, esparto,…) that have also been a big inspiration.
    
What part of the project interested you the most?
    The intention of the project that inspired us the most, born from the essence of Sessùn as a brand committed to craftsmanship, was to give space to its collection as well as to different artists to exhibit their works, therefore creating a free atmosphere just like the one that can be found at a workshop: a space where creativity and different talents can come together. 

    
How would you describe what unites you with Sessùn?
    The history of Sessùn is intimately intertwined with craft and artistry. A deep love for hand craftsmanship and the appreciation of artistic manifestations, which make each piece unique and add to their value. We at Cobalto understand and also appreciate this philosophy. Our essence is to study and understand the pre-existing nature of a space and its heritage in order to adapt it to a more contemporary point of view. Just like the values that Sessùn tries to promote above all.
    
Can you share with us your latest artistic discoveries?
    Adriana Meunié, an artist that we have worked with for this project and that helped us create a direct link to nature. Her creative universe revolves around raw and natural materials, the touch and durability of pieces that are embellished with the passage of time. As she works mainly with natural fabric we fell in love with her work.
    
Describe your ideal day...
    Having lunch with Jean Cocteau.
    The best 20 euros you have ever spent?
    A ticket for MoMa’s museum in New York City.

    Un grand merci à Gabriel Escàmez ainsi que  l'ensemble de l'équipe de Cobalto Studio 

    Crédits photos : Pablo Zamora 

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