GALEANA

Galeana is a collection of 6 objects designed by Jorge Diego Etienne and sculpted in alabaster by the Master Craftsman Francisco Charles that generate an emotional and regional bond.

Intention
Research and triggering questions around contemporary crafts is fundamental, as well as recognizing the link between man and natural matter is equally important. With Galeana, Jorge Diego Etienne aims to send a strong and unique message through the unpredictable beauty of alabaster. The collaboration also builds a bridge between the artisanal process of carving this stone and a contemporary proposal of useful, timeless and transcendent design.

Process & Design
South of the state of Nuevo León, at an altitude of 1,639 meters above sea level, one of the best alabaster deposits in the world is located. Alabaster stone is a crystalline variant of calcium sulfate, it is characterized by its pure white color and a precise velvety finish (qualities that are achieved by extracting the stone directly from the earth), and in the municipality of Galeana they abound.

And if anyone knows about this profession, it is Master Craftsman Francisco Charles, who for at least five decades has maintained a deep emotional bond and respect with this material and the environment that surrounds it.

Using pencil, chisel, sandpaper and wedges, the artisan Francisco Charles solved digital modeling and 3D prints proposed by the designer Jorge Diego Etienne, demonstrating his mastery over a polished technique for decades. As a result, common pieces such as a stool, vase or bowl were deconstructed by the designer to generate a language of rational forms that, at the same time, stand in the way of a calculatedly irrational and implausible order and assembly.

Exhibitions
The Material Language, curated by Ana Elena Mallet y Pilar Obeso
Adorno Gallery — London, England

A Medida Incierta, curated by Ana Cadena
Nave Generadores, Centro de las Artes CONARTE — Monterrey, México