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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Fifty years from now: Tanya Aguiñiga

Tanya Aguiñiga
Tanya Aguiñiga (1978- ) is a Los Angeles artist who was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. She receive a bachelor's degree in furniture design from San Diego State University and an MFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design.

Her work is very tactile, as well as being visually stimulating. Some pieces require looking at familiar objects in a new way. Take, for example, her Hole Table that sinks bowls and utensils into the tabletop, or her Shadow Trio pieces that are only completed when their shadow is cast on the wall. One of her designs that is seen frequently in design media these days is her version of the lowly metal folding chair, which is given a new look by her time-intensive, 30-hour hand felting process.

Aguiñiga has been a member of Border Art Workshop BAW/TAF, a bi-national artist collaborative for ten years. Through BAW/TAF she helped to build and run a community center in an impoverished area of Tijuana, which was built on trash from the United States. For the six years she worked there, she focused on bringing national and international attention to the community’s plight through arts-based programs.

Through outreach programs at the San Diego Museum of Art and at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Aguiñiga has worked on diversifying audiences through arts education. She has also worked for migrant rights through art installations across Mexico and the United States.

She was recently awarded a prestigious United States Artists Fellowship and was named a USA Target Fellow in the field of Crafts and Traditional Arts. Her work has been exhibited from Mexico City to Milan and included in major international publications.

I predict that we'll hear much more from...and about...Aguiñiga in the future.

From aguinigadesign.com


Hole Table
aguinigadesign.com

Hole Table close-up
aguinigadesign.com

Shadow Trio
aguinigadesign.com

Felt Chairs
drollgirl.com

Teotitlan 2
aguinigadesign.com

Soft Rocks
anatijuana.com

Eames Wire Chair
aguinigadesign.com

Zinacantan
designforhumanity.com

Eames DCM
lifeslittlejems.com

Clay Chair
aguinigadesign.com

Birch Bench
1stdibs.com

Embrace Lounge
aguinigadesign.com

Embrace Lounge in use
aguinigadesign.com

Modular Lounge
aguinigadesign.com

Forest Roll
aguinigadesign.com

Forest Roll in use
aguinigadesign.com

Forest Roll ready for storage
aguinigadesign.com


And, for a bit of whimsy, take a look at these designs. They make me smile. Well, actually, the Impression Stools make me laugh out loud.


Panchito
aguinigadesign.com

Lowrider Stool
aguinigadesign.com

Impression Stools
aguinigadesign.com

Impression Stool after use
aguinigadesign.com

Now, that's quite an impression, wouldn't you say?


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6 comments:

  1. LOL on that impression! I'm afraid my impression would be so big it wouldn't fit! Some very fun and eye popping designs. Love learning here.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, those stools are definitely for folks who are a little more confident that the impressions they leave will be good ones. :)

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  2. Wow, those ARE impressive! First impressions count?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The ones that really make the greatest impression on me are the Eames wire chair, the Zinacantan and the Eames DCM. I'd make room for any of those in my house.

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  3. Fantastic work, I had seen some of it before and really love it! Thank you for bringing it back to my attention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I expect she will stay in the forefront, and we won't forget her.

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