Taking as a starting point the work of Cuban-Mexican designer Clara Porset, the exhibition “A Handmade Modernism,” counts amongst its inventory iconic pieces from some of the designers that today are part of our catalogue at Clásicos Mexicanos, such as Antonio Attolini, Ricardo Legorreta and Michael Van Beuren. The exhibit is based on the first design show in Mexico, called “Art in Everyday Life.” The original exhibit had objects of what Porset considered to be “good design” made in our country. Michael Van Beuren’s “Alacran” was part of the original show. This piece won the MoMa’s “Organic Design and Home Furniture” competition in 1941. 

In the brochure that accompanies the exhibit, Ana Elena Mullet, the curator, claims that “in Mexico, incorporating modernity into the design of the everyday environment involved a unification of local traditions and conditions with the dream of industrialization.” Because of this, the exhibition seeks to manifest the synthesis between traditional forms and industrial, modern ones, an interest shared with all of the authors featured in our catalogue. It is no wonder then, that works from three of our designers are now exhibited in this show. 

The exhibition is divided into four parts. The fourth and last section is called “new Mexican typologies.” According to Mullet, in Mexico, modern design is defined by its reinterpretation of popular prototypes and this is evident in the pieces that make up this last part. It consists of showing a typology of Mexican seats that, starting from Porset, defined a Mexican design style all throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. Many popular furniture prototypes are shown, reinterpreted by the exhibit’s featured artists and designers, incluiding Antonio Attolini Lack’s and Ricardo Legorreta’s interpretation of the traditional “silla de palo.” It’s important to mention that Legorreta’s original Vallarta chair can be found in this exhibition; this piece is now part of our catalogue and has been developed alongside Ricardo Legorreta’s studio, Legorreta Arquitectos.  

Frieze is an international fair that displays contemporary art, putting together around 65 of the most important galleries in the world, to exhibit solo, group, or themed work by pioneering artists around the globe. Dobel’s Art Apothecary made its debut during Frieze’s 2022 New York edition. The installation includes pieces from Clásicos Mexicanos’ catalogue, in collaboration with Legorreta Arquitectos, derived from the Vallarta line. 

The Artphotecary’s theme this year was the Mexican Golden Age and it sought to celebrate the Mexican contemporary scene. It came to life through multisensorial live exhibitions and virtual experiences that blended together old Mexican traditions with modernity. By elevating Mexico’s most prominent artists —their work, their influences, and their processes— the Artphothecary displays a wealth of creativity found in Mexican culture. Thus, Ricardo Legorreta’s work found its home in this exhibition, since the architect was seen as the symbol of modernity in this country. At Clásicos Mexicanos, we consider Mexico’s Golden Age to have begun when a Mexican aesthetic was created; when local architects and designers were able to stretch their imagination and create something original that distinguished them from other artists of their time.  

Fortunately, the collaboration between Clásicos Mexicanos and Dobel doesn’t end here, as the Vallarta line is expected to appear in another two iterations of this installation, during Design Miami in 2022 and Frieze Los Angeles in 2023. Some pieces may be added or replaced, but it is our hope that this is only the start of this journey, which is expected to last three years, and which will bring further possibilities in the future.