EWE Studio has hand-crafted a set of homeware and furniture pieces from black and white marble, volcanic stone and bronze, taking cues from centuries-old techniques.
Titled Sacred Ritual Objects, the collection includes a series of stone vases and book ends, bronze stools, and other homeware made by a local artisans at EWE Studio in Mexico City.
The four-person studio practises techniques that have been used for centuries in Mexico, resulting in functional yet sculptural pieces made without the use of any machinery.
"We are devoted to the preservation and advancement of Mexico’s rich artisan heritage," said the studio. "The collection reflects how religious and cultural syncretism shaped the expression of Mexican craft heritage."
Tables and stools – titled Altar – are made with flat-topped blocks, influenced by the construction of traditional designs used in religious rituals and ceremonies, such as sacrifices or offerings to a deity.
"We are exploring the expressions and characteristics of the iconic religious objects, which were used around ceremonial sacred utensils of devotion," said the studio.
For the Rito set, vessels and other vases are made from stone carved using a mallet, a chisel and a square. Raw materials such as black and white marble, volcanic stone, and black volcanic glass – known as obsidian – are used in the construction.
Other small chairs, tables and stools are crafted from sand-cast bronze in the studio's foundry. The technique has been used since ancient times in Mexico, which Ewe Studio has sought to preserve, and reinterpret.
"This process is extremely precise," said the studio. "A wax replica of the original object is created which can be repeated infinitely many times. A sand mold is created from the piece of wax and the casting process concludes when the incandescent metal is poured into the wax mold and it occupies its physical space."
The metal alloy material provides an incredibly sturdy and durable construction, coupled with the ability to be finely textured with etchings all over.
The pieces in the collection are part of a greater movement in Central and South America, where designers are taking cues from the region's traditional craft and raw materials to create contemporary pieces.
Other examples include a set of homeware inspired by coffee-drinking customs in Colombia and Mexico by José Bermúdez, Vrokka and Fango Studio, as well an all-black mortar and pestle using shapes taken from an ancient relic by David Del Valle.
EWE Studio was founded by Mexico designer Hector Esrawe, Spanish industrial designer Manuel Bañó Granell, and creative director and curator Age Salajõe from Estonia. The design studio partners with a handful of artists, particularly foundry specialist Carlos Bautista and stonemason Juan Fraga, to hand-craft their pieces.