todomuta studio combines bent metal, leather + marble in handmade 'massless' collection

‘massless’ furniture collection launches at design miami/ 2021

todomuta studio experiments with traditional artisan techniques in ‘massless’, a new collection of nine limited-edition pieces commissioned by gallery all. on view from december 1 through 5 at design miami/ 2021 (booth C10), the series of tables, seatings and a vase are developed in collaboration with master craftsmen from the studio’s native spain. stonemasons from almeria, leatherworkers from ubrique, and high-end metalsmiths from seville, all contributed to the collection.

‘massless speaks of the existence of not having, of voids and sections of the material, among many other aspects,’ laura molina and sergio herrera, who established todomuta studio in 2011, tell designboom. ‘we approach design work from a very artistic point of view; as a result, the collection maintains equidistance with the world of art and design. for us, the functional part is just as important as our pieces’ aesthetic and cultural elements.’ read our interview in full below.

coffee table, marble and aluminium, 2021 | all pieces: edition 10 + 2AP for gallery all

all images courtesy of todomuta studio

interview with todomuta studio

designboom (DB): how would you define ‘massless’?

todomuta studio (TS): it is a collection that allows us to continue our formal and conceptual search; let’s say it is a continuation of the work we have been doing. in it, the studio continues to review the same topics as always. the result is nine pieces of art-design, produced in an edition of 10 units plus two signature proofs, where high metalwork, the nobility of the leather, and the tradition of stonework merge.

DB: what was your inspiration for these pieces?

TS: we usually do not work with a single topic, it is through exploration that we discover the object. in this case, ‘massless’ speaks of the existence of not having, of voids and sections of the material, among many other aspects. we approach design work from a very artistic point of view; as a result, the collection maintains equidistance with the world of art and design. for us, the functional part is just as important as our pieces’ aesthetic and cultural elements. the result of this approach is the development of useful objects but with a solid artistic character. if we forget for a moment the intrinsic functional part of the pieces, each one of them could be perceived as a sculpture.

coffee table , marble and aluminium, 2021

DB: how was the development process?

TS: in our work process, each one is in charge of a different area until there is a point where we integrate to find the final solution. laura works on the form and aesthetic codes on which the language of the collection will be based. once it has been developed and assimilated, it can be applied to anything. sergio works the part of the functionality of the objects, the color, and the materiality of the pieces. later we do the technical development, 3D visualizations, full-scale models, and construction details with the rest of the team. once in the workshop, they validate that the solutions sought for each design are transferred to the material, and the proper adjustments are made in each case.

DB: what surprised you during the development of the collection?

TS: we like the production process, which allows you to discover the materiality of the pieces. starting to produce on a real scale and subjecting the materials to what we have designed is something we enjoy. all our production is handmade, so although you repeat technical solutions, a different event happens in each piece.

coffee table, marble and aluminium, 2021

DB: how did your collaboration with master craftsmen develop and how much did their skills and knowledge influence the final result?

TS: our relationship with craftsmen is always very close and based on mutual respect. they are an essential part of the work from its conception. we work with master artisans who not only know a specific technique but also have a sensitivity related to our work, this creates a good chemistry between us. together we review that the technical solutions proposed are the most appropriate, and if they are not, we look for the best one with them. it is a mutually enriching process because we, as designers, ask them think about their everyday work in new ways. meanwhile, the artisan, with their know-how, make it much easier for us to execute what we design.

coffee table, marble and aluminium, 2021

DB: what was the greatest learning obtained?

TS: we always learn many things every time we face a new collection. in ‘massless,’ perhaps we can highlight that for each piece, you have to give its place to every element and generate the right balance that you want between the chosen materials. for example, the stone has a lot of presence; this invites and tempts to have a great prominence when included in a collection. in “massless,” the stone is there, but, as with the leather, it appears to qualify the metal that is the true protagonist of this collection. the result is a harmonious balance between materials. another interesting aspect to highlight is to ensure that when viewers face the pieces, they do not perceive the difficulties of the production but rather that everything flows organically as if the metal had bent effortlessly. we like that feeling about the collection, which makes you feel that everything has flowed naturally.

DB: what is the most significant piece in the collection?

TS: there is not one in particular, each piece has its own personality as well as shared codes, which is what allows them to be perceived as part of a family of objects—all the pieces dialogue with each other, but with their independence and formal and functional autonomy. there is one that we especially like, the vase. this piece, which is the smallest of all, has the peculiarity of having more forced folds than the rest and a retreat that is not seen in any other piece in the collection. the vase also embodies a key aspect of the collection: the pieces have constantly reminded us of a large-scale jewelry store.

double bench, leather and aluminium, 2021

DB: what makes ‘massless’ different from other works in the studio?

TS: our work does not respond to market trends but the philosophy and codes of the studio. we have never believed in fast processes; everything is rather slow and evolutionary. this collection has allowed us to redefine and refine our work more, to be closer and more aligned with design, without losing our sensitivity to form. we could say that ‘massless’ is a reaffirmation and maturity of our work as a studio.

DB: where will the pieces be available?

TS: they will be exhibited at design miami 2021 in the booth of gallery all, a gallery that moves between the us and china markets and with which we have had the pleasure of collaborating previously. we will be exhibiting seven pieces from the collection for this fair, and the rest will be exhibited in 2022 in china. the collection will be available on the gallery all website, our studio website, and the artsy platform.