Rui Ribeiro Studio
A highly regarded interior designer (H&G Top 100) with a long standing interest in the history of art and craft in his native Portugal.
His collaborations with Portuguese artisans and ceramicists generated two collections of limited edition and unique ceramic objects and lighting with a contemporary language using the traditional Portuguese medium and technique called ‘Barro Negro’. Named the Black Clay collection, and realised by the Portuguese ceramicists Xana and Lima, the textures and forms are as unique and rare as the virtually forgotten ancient technique.
The second collaboration, with Portuguese ceramicists Ana and Carlos, evolved into a collection of unique ceramic objects designed by Rui and made by hand using an ancient technique of modelling a mixture of local clays with both thin and thick chamotte clay. Each piece is simultaneously imperfect, elegant and sophisticated. It is the shimmering effect of the metal oxide glazes that inspired the name of this collection – Bronze.
In the third collaboration – BRONZE II and III, Rui challenged the ceramicist Miguel to make also by hand a series of oversize decorative plates and bowls based on his smaller scale ‘ouvre’.