Cestos de Pedra is a series of 50 handmade baskets developed by designers Eneida Lombe Tavares and João Xará during the RARA residency (Residência Artesanato Região Açores) at the 10th Edition of the Walk & Talk Festival. For 12 days, Eneida and João were in the Azores, Portugal, designing a collection of baskets with 3 basketwork techniques (Basketry, Joinery and Weaving). During the process, it made sense for the designers to make a collaboration inspired by elements from the natural landscape of the Azores – in this case, 5 stones from the beach of Sta. Bárbara were used as molds for the design of the pieces. The end result is a limited edition of 50 pieces (10 pieces of each basket). We had the opportunity to ask Eneida Tavares and João Xará a few questions about their project and learn a little more about their initiative.

Could you share with us how this idea of using stones from the beach of Santa Bárbara as a mold(s) for the design of the pieces came about? Eneida and João: The idea for this project came from a conversation about how important we think it is to apply the materiality and/or energy of the place to the pieces that we would develop. At the time, we were on S. Roque beach, the closest to Ponta Delgada, and the black sand motivated this dialogue. From there, we were collecting materials, references of the places we went through until we reached Sta. Bárbara, another beach, with a rocky area that attracted us. There we selected a series of stones, with the aim of using them. With crafts present at the residence, basketwork was the one that made the most sense for us to associate. In the end, we created pieces with a strong connection to the place, in which part of the island’s body is present: the mold basalt and the wicker flora.

What challenges did you face in the creative and design process of the project and how did the team and Curator Miguel Flor resolve these adversities? Eneida and João: The main challenge was precisely to use stones that, because of their irregular shapes, made the process challenging for the artisan (Alcídio Andrade). Something that made us design taking into account the scale of the stones themselves, and look carefully at the shapes so that no prisons were created and that they had to leave the molds in the end. Major adversities, frankly, there were no relevant problems.

How was the experience of working with local artisans and what is the current state of handicrafts in the Archipelago of the Azores? Eneida and João: The experience of working with local artisans was amazing. There was great empathy from the beginning with all of them. The fact that the team of artisans has already participated in previous editions of Walk & Talk and that we also have some previous experience in the designer-craftsman relationship made this collaboration fluid, relaxed and productive. The experience of the residency allowed us to get to know the Azorean artisanal scene in general, which is vast and diverse. Crafts are being increasingly valued, in the specific case of the Azores we feel that there is support for its development and cultural structures that promote it.

Cestos de Pedra, 2021 (Eneida Lombe Tavares x João Xará) Limited edition of 50 handmade baskets from the shape of 5 stones that compose the natural landscape of the island of S. Miguel. Collection developed at RARA in the context of @walktalkazores festival Curator: Miguel Flor | Artisan: Alcídio Andrade To enquire/purchase please contact Eneida or João.