sergio mendoza
Summary
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Presentation Some facts Work Summary of works Backstage Someone said
Some of the rights reserved. Please reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pjotocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, but always crediting the author: me, Sergio Mendoza.
Presentation
tive natures that they achieve their results. And this is what I believe in and what try to achieve with every step I take. They had graduated from RCA. So I felt that if they had all come out of the same place… it had to be a very interesting place. I decided that getting there would be my challenge, but I was told to wait, to gain experience, to live and prepare myself so that given the opportunity, I would make the best out of it. I have worked for a little company, for a big company, for clients who wouldn’t pay… I have worked in collaboration and for myself. After six seasons as part of the staff at the Vitra Workshops in Boisbuchet (FR) I have met, worked and lived with some of the most interesting people one could imagine. Half way through my degree, around 2005, I met Pepe and Alberto, from CuldeSac studio. They organized a series of talks and workshops in my university and introduced me to the work of different designers like James Auger, Jimmy Loizeau or Héctor Serrano.
People such as Fabio Novembre, Maarten Baas, the Campana brothers, Max Lamb, Yael and Shay (Raw Edges), Héctor Serrano, CuldeSac, Sam Baron, Hermés, Roberto Feo and Rosario (El Último Grito), Shin and Tomoko Azumi, Paul Cocksedge… and around 350 participants every
I was shocked and delighted to find that they were so…
season. Having them in Boisbuchet was like having them
not commercial, experiments maybe. There were not even
staying over for a week at my summer home.
trying to sell anything. Then why were they doing this?
I never lost sight of my challenge. I have taken every chance
They were in fact experimenting, trying, pushing the limits,
to debate it with many people. Listening to personal ex-
playing with materials and processes, with ideas. They as
periences from graduates, students and professors from
individuals were the added value of their projects, because
RCA. In these conversations I have also come across other
it is as a consequence of their personal and singular inquisi-
good options worth being considered such as ECAL or
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Design Academy. But I believe the RCA Design Products course is where I belong. And therefore, my only choice. I feel this is the moment to apply and this is why I am doing it precisely now. I am looking forward to this new stage of my career, to be thrown into a demanding environment of personal research and busy creativity. I am anxious to start a new life in London shared with peers from all corners of the world who will be as motivated and dedicated as I am. I am eager for new experiences, people and collaborations. It is the time to use all the past experiences and inputs and with the help of this entire environment, develop my own voice and keep growing. This is why I know the RCA will be my home in the next two years.
Hopefully yours, Sergio Mendoza
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Some facts
I was born the August 22, 1984 in XĂ bia (Alicante, Spain) I have lived all of my in Valencia, Spain. I have a sister who is 5 years younger than me. I went to a british school since i was 4. My parents divorced when I was 6. But i never spent more than a week in Valencia without seeing both of them. My grandfather taught me how to swim when i was 5, to cycle when i was 12. My father taught me how to drive when i was 18. I gave my first kiss when i was 15 to Irina. I always wanted to live in London through my childhood. When i was 16 i went for two weeks on my own to Berlin. I was 19 when i first went to London. I met Marta there, my first love. I graduated on Industrial Design in 2005, Valencia. Crossed Europe on a bus. 28h to Milano, then Prague, Viena, etc.. My first paid design-related job were 3 wine etiquette, for 900â‚Ź. Discovered Domaine de Boisbuchet/Vitra Design Workshops in 2005. My life changed. In 2006 I did a postgraduated course on product + graphic design. My first exhibition was on 2006, Valencia Design Week. 6
I was an intern at Efectiva Creatividad, graphic design studio. In 2007 Marta and i put an end to a 4 year relationship. I worked at a company doing interior design for optician stores and hospitals. First full season at Boisbuchet in 2007. I come back every season now. Started studio 07:30am with Raul Edo and Rocío Boscá. Global Medical Centre: fist 07:30 project: interiors + branding. I was nvited to Fabrica by Sam Baron in 2008 for a trial. Raul and i are runners-up in Nutella contest. No prize. Creative director for the Valencia Marathon since 2008. Got over excited and ran my first half marathon (21K) in 2008. I start Sergio Mendoza Studio. I start the Photographic Marathon, to obtain quality photos of the event. Together with CuldeSac we start Fashionalitas.com for the openning of H&M. In 2009 Half Marathon becomes the 9th fastest race on the planet. My llamps are exhibited with Alexander Von Vegesack’s collection, 2010. In 2010 I decide it is time for me to move on.
In 2011 London will be my next step. 7
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Works
In the next pages i will present to you a selection of works from the last 5 years. I believe they are a good sample of the path that brought me here. Most of this work responds to self-initiated projects. I am in a stage of my career where the most intresting and challenging briefings that i recieve come from myself. But this is no reason to relax. As good as i know myself, i am still my most demanding client too.
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mp3
Briefing by CuldeSac, 2005.
- What do you do for a living? - I’m a designer. - What kind of designer are you? What kind of things do you design? - “Well...” he thought for a second, put his hand in his pocket and brought it out again, openning it to show a little object, “i do things like this... not exactly, but more or less... this shows what i’m intrested in, what i can do, my habilities, maybe says things about my past too, my experience and my education, my worries. Can you see how it works? Look through this part here.. start it first.. press here.. no, no.. don’t touch, be carefull!”
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I chose music as my theme, because I can’t imagine my
The underground is cold. No one knows anyone. We see
day without it. And I chose the underground as a setting,
the same people everyday, but don’t say hello to them. And
because I spend a considerable time of my day sitting in it.
worst of all, this has become the normal behaviour in our
Music evokes party, friends, sharing... But at an individual level, it all changes. Headphones isolate us. They give us private personal space. This is so true that when we see someone with headphones we asume he doesn’t want to be disturbed. Non-verbal communication.
society. That’s why situations which allow contact are important and interest me. A glance, a touch, something that triggers a smile or even a conversation. So my object is simple: three-way headphones. I wear two of them and leave the third one resting in the seat next to me. It will not make a hot girl come and talk to me, I am not trying to force a conversation, I just don’t want to be the
This can be good if we are studying in the library. But it
one who stops it from happening! It’s about reverting the
can also be bad, since we have no option to change that
message.
message.
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I am not trying to force a conversation, I just don’t want to be the one who stops it from happening!
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Mom! my keys! Briefing by CuldeSac, 2005.
When i was asked to work on something personal, something that would speak about me or a part of my character, behaviour.. this was my response to the briefing. Being honest, I must admit that loosing (or misplacing) things is something I am quite familiar with. It happens more than I want to admit, and from time to time I leave my home to find out that my keys are still inside. Not always there is someone at home to open for me when I have to get back in.. so in my familly we have a little protocol that works quite well for this ocassions.. We hide a key in one of the plants we have by the front door. We usually hide it in the soil, however here I transport our little system into an actual object.
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Social coffee Briefing by HĂŠctor Serrano, 2006.
The most social, emotional and human side of objects surrounding coffee and the situations created around it. A collection of everyday objects that provoke social interaction on a natural and simple manner, with familiar situations interpreted in an unexpected way. Concept and direction by HĂŠctor Serrano Studio, objects designed by gradutes from the Industrial Design department of UCH-CEU.
My object was a spoon/thermometre. It is a poetic object which talks about the timing of a conversation, about insecurity and self control.
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‘The phrase "let’s meet for coffee" has become the default sentence to meet someone even if you are not having coffee. The social aspect is in fact as important as the drink itself’
Ursula & Violeta at the Museum of Modern Art in Castellón (ES)
The project at NUDE, during Valencia Design Week.
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Violeta: I hate it when coffee is too hot! Ursula, on the other hand is nervously preparing for her confession. 24
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Water, my friend. Workshop with El Ăšltimo Grito at Domaine de Boisbuchet, 2005.
This was the first time I went to the Vitra Workshops i n Domaine de Boisbuchet. I fell in love with the place and atmosphere, and now it plays a big role in my life. Roberto and Rosario asked us to walk around the state and find something that we felt comfortable with. Something that caught our attention or we liked specially. In my case, it was water. They drove us through a very intense self analysis in which I ended up realizing that wherever I am, if there is water I feel comfortable. It can be a lake, a river or the sea‌ but in absence of them, it feels strange. I ended up trying to isolate the essence of that feeling. What was it that made me feel that way? And how could i capture it and export it to an object that i could take home for instance.
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Natural ageing. Self-initiated project, 2006.
Different qualities of Cognac are produced by all brands, and include VS (very special); VSOP (very superior old pale) and XO (extra old). These are controlled by the length of time the Cognac is allowed to mature in oak barrels, a minimum time being required at each grade level. The longer the Cognac matures in the barrel the smoother it will generally become. Once it is bottled no further development takes place. So the cellar master is forced to make a decission regarding how much does he want the cognac to mature. He cannot keep it forever, since it has to be sold to get money back and keep the business going. Wouldn’t it be good to keep the cognac ageing in oak even after you take the bottle home with you? There is no need to stop the process: we can use an oak bottle. One that you can buy and take home. The cognac’s maturation will continue in our own storage right untill the very last minute before we open it, appreciating it at it’s best state.
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Don’t sit!
Workshop with Maarten Baas at Domaine de Boisbuchet, 2006.
Where do we sit? How do we sit? We are educated to do things the right way, but who says what is good or bad? Good for who? Why bad? We know the rules, but this doesn’t mean we agree to them. We are not criminals, not even vandals... Maybe some rules should be re-thought. For instance: If you want clean streets, you provide dustbins, you don’t just forbid drinking and eating. We citizens, are many times treated as stupid. Rules are intended to ease social coexistence. But sometimes those who establish them forget about this. Prohibiting is always easier than finding a solution. But always a solution itself.
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Nutella + Fruits
Prposal for a Nutella contest done at F A B R I C A while on trial, 2008.
Being in Domaine de Boisbuchet I had the chance to meet Sam Baron, Head of the Design Department at FABRICA. After working with him for a week I was invited to apply for a residency in Treviso. Raul’s (a friend of mine) and my portfolio were selected and we went to Treviso (IT) for a trial period of 20 days. We were asked to work on various projects together with the resident designers. It was a fantastic chance to be part of a team working on very different projects. FABRICA has no actual clients, and this is in fact something that conditions the spirit of the place, making the importance of the creative direction critical. Jaime Hayon or Gala Fernandez before, and Sam now, have created a constantly evolving team of international young designers working on a very special atmosphere. It was the first time I ever saw different departments (viedo, creative writting, visual culture, fashion..) of a “place” actually working together and being productive. One of the projects I worked on with Raul (a contest for Nutella) ended up being quite succesfull. Or not.
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F A B R I C A is the Benetton Group Communications Research Centre. Located in Treviso, geographical epicentre of Europe, in a complex restored and enlarged by Tadao Ando. In 2008 I was selected for a trial period in which i had the chance to be part of it’s Design Department and contribute to their work at the time.
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The proposal did not win, unluckily enough other two identical proposals were presented, and one was chosen insted of our option.
What we presented.
Winning proposal, by Isaac Pi単eiro.
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Fashionalistas.com Creative direction by CuldeSac, 2008.
CuldeSac was in charge of the opening of the first H&M store in Valencia. It would be an experience, not an event, that was the briefing. And not for politicians or businessmen, we would have a cool party for people who will really appreciate it. So that’s how fashionalistas started. I was one of the 6 photographers in charge of scanning the streets, searching for that subtle difference in the way people dressed. It was the first time something like this was being done in Spain, and soon we had a lot of attention, visits to site grew very fast. We used it as a warming action for the event. At one point we anounce the arrival of H&M to the city, and later on that those featured would be the guests to the event. The openning was a huge success, impact on the media was massive and fashionalistas, that was meant to disappear after the event grew bigger than the event itself. So we kept it going, just out of passion, with no money involved. It was not about fashion either, but about photography and people. People who i caught my attention becuse how they dressed, usually had interesting jobs too. So it was a way to meet people and build a network too. We also started getting invited to fashion shows and music festivals becauseour photography style was different to what they were used to. Maybe because we where not photographers, but designers. 48
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The event was both a success in terms of press coverage and as to the experience of those who had the chance to live it. Chosing the guests directly from the street instead of inviting politicians and businessmen closed the circle and completed the experience. They deserved to be there. We treated ordinary people the status of VIPs for one night. This is democracy brought to fwshion: H&M.
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Today we are economically viable. We are contacted to organize events, catwalks, or just afterwork parties for stores and brands. And we are slowly getting into editorial fasihon photography, which is a new passion for me too.
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Bedside tables Self-initiated project, 2009.
A bedside table is likely to be the piece of furniture that contains more information about it’s owner. We leave on it almost anything and keep our secrets in it’s draweres. On a random bedside table you could find medicines, watches, condoms, a bible, pens, coins, a lamp, cell phones, magazines or books, a wallet, tickets and receits, an apple, a glass of water, cigarettes, jewellery... This is why they are so fascinating to me. By looking at it we can imagine (not know) the owner, their habbits, maybe even spot something which would prove a conection between us and this stranger, making it familiar suddenly. They are also a good example of bad deciession making, ie: when you want to buy a Sofa, why don’t we try sleeping on it? Or to imagine ourselfs eating pizza on it? Or thinking how many friends can sit on it? Instear, we preffer it to match our courtains. With the bedside table it’s the same story. The market offers different options and we choose amongst what we see. But what we see is not what we need. A bedside table will never be empty. It will never be a simple, neat organized object. My claim: objects that respond to our needs. We should be offered what we need.
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Porcelain
Self-initiated projects to experiment with the material, 2006-2010.
In the last years, being in Boisbuchet i had the opportunity to follow several porcelain workshops as a photographer, staff member, assitant, and finally as a participant. These workshops take place at ENSA - Limoges. Probably one of the most wonderful places where one can learn about porcelain. I have been able to take advantage of their fantastic facilities, and the expertise of their porcelanists, such as Jean Charles Prolongeau and Christian Couty, both coming from a tradition of well known porcelanist families. As well as the creative direction of Jaime Hayon and Sam Baron. During this time i have developed a love for the material, which i find simple and beautiful. I do preffer it in it’s natural state, without glazing and tend to combine it with wood, cork and ocasionally color. The process itself amzes me, as one can go from the molde to the final object with excelent finishing in a few days. This immediacy and being able to control and play with the process all along the way is what really fascinates me.
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Fruit boxes Self-initiated project at Domaine de Boisbuchet, 2010.
The original idea was to use silicone or maybe latex to connect different materials that I collected to make a series of lamp shades. With some of them it would work, but not with others. One of this materials that actually couldn’t be held together by the latex I was using was some cheap wood from fruit crates. The latex wouldn’t hold this wood together strong enough.. But by then I had a feeling for the material, o I decided not use the latex and keep the wood. I found intresting not only the material, but the process. And I was very happy with the visual outcome.
Everyday in Boisbuchet we get delivered fruits and vedgetables in wooden crates. We store them and use them to prepare lunch and dinner during the day. Then when my shift was over I would go to the fire place and save some of the trashed crates. In lesss than one hour I would have one of the lamps ready. At the end of the day some crates provided fire, and some provided light. Both would have people with stories and wine sitting around them.
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Doing it myself. Self-initiated project, 2010.
This is an evolution of the construction method that I actually intended in first place for the lamps shown before. The furniture is built using random (recycled, reused, found, lefto over, stolen..) pieces of wood, and a material that should serve structural and finishing porpouses. I am currently testing with different epoxy clays, resines and silicones to find an ideal material that could be use to conect the pieces and also to produce a smooth (or maybe soft) surface. Alessandro Di Mauro is a friend and collegue who is now working for Maarten Bass. His experience as a material engineer is being crucial for my tests.
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This is of course just a scale model. I am currently testing different resines and epoxy clays to find a material which will suit the idea both for structural and finishing porpouses. 76
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Half Marathon ‘10 Creative Director for the event since 2008.
Correcaminos is a sports club with a very cozy and familiar atmosphere. It has over 700 members paying around 65€ per year. Most of them are over 45 years and many have high economies. But it’s not about the money. They started the club 32 years ago, when people would throw stones at them for running in shorts. Together with two other clubs in Madrid and later on in Barcelona they had to build up a world which they could only read about in forreign magazines. They were pioneers.
In 2010 we hosted the 30th Marathon and 22nd Half Marathon of Valencia. It has been my third year as creative director, of both events. We had 8000 runners in the H.M. in November, this is 2000 more than last year and double than the previous one. We have around 800 non-payed volunteers, 83 non-payed staff and a little team of 5 people organizing everything. We organize huge events with almost no budget, and yet this familiar “keep-it-small” attitude has created two world class events competing against races with budgets that we can not even dream of.. I believe that one of the reasons for this success is that we take care of the runner’s experience during all the weekend. All along the event our communicaton is basically saying “we do this for you, enjoy it, champion”. The individual feels protagonist, it is their big moment. 78
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In the last 200m they could read “Smile! Shout! Cry! This moment is for you!”
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1800 runners in 2008. 4000 in 2009 and 8000 in 2010. “I don’t run, I fly.”
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The main difference between this race and the rest is the way we have chosen to adress the runners. They feel special and part of a unique experience that they will not forget. As they could read just before the start “you will tell about this day to your grand children�.
The nipple project
Self-initiated project at Domaine de Boisbuchet, 2010.
Given the chance to experiment with metal casting for one night after Max Lamb’s workshop was over I decided to go for something simple. Something small.. something you could wear as a pin, in your lapel mayebe. Had to be an object I could find around me, so that I could start immediately and play with the process! And there, holding a tiny piece of metal in my chest while I looked around the kiln, it just came to my mind: nipples!
Her dress is not showing much of her and she is wearing no diamonds but she gets all the attention. It’s her attitude, her strength, she shines over the rest. Her dress is all black and she is only wearing one single piece of jewellery. Enough to be the centre of all conversations tonight. She needs no diamonds, no overisezed implants or low cut dress. Yet, she is showing much more of her body than anyone can actually realise.
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Summary of Works
mp3 Briefing by CuldeSac
Natural Ageing 10
Self-initiated project
2005
2006
Mom, my Keys!
Don’t Sit!
Briefing by CuldeSac
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2005
Nutella + Fruits 20
Concieved while at F A B R I C A
2005
2006
Water, my friend
Fashionalistas.com
Briefing by El Último Grito 2005
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2006
Social Coffee Briefing by Héctor Serrano
Briefing by Maarten Baas
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Concept by CuldeSac 2008
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Bedside Tables Self-initiated project
Doing it Myself 52
Self-initiated project
2009
Work in progress.
Tiny Friends
Half Marathon ’10
Concieved while at F A B R I C A
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A Game I Was Forced To Play.
The Nipple Project 66
2010
Work in progress.
Self-initiated project Work in progress.
Lamps Self-initiated project
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2010
Work in progress.
Self-initiated project
Creative Director for the event since 2008.
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Backstage
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Someone said
To complete this book, which contains already too much of me talking about myself, i asked four persons to send me a postcard. Either adresed to me or to you, writing on it anything regarding myself and my “RCA intention� (Sam sent me a letter instead. Much more formal than what I intended, yet more touching than i could expect). I am thankful for their words. I also asked Pepe and Alberto, founders of CuldeSac, and RCA graduates, to be my referees. They know me and my work better than anyone else. They are my professional parents, a very important reference to me. Those who I ask when I seek advice, who I celebrate my good news with , and those who I run to when in trouble. With their words I put an end to this book. Thank you for reading until this point. See you soon. Sergio!
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Postcard sent by HĂŠctor Serrano. He, Pepe and Alberto (CuldeSac) are all from Valencia, studied together in my university, graduated from RCA together, were my tutors at some point and have been invited to Boisbuchet on several ocasions.
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In 2006 I joined a workshop with Maarten Baas in Boisbuchet. He has been coming back every summer since then. His attitude and work were both shocking and new to me. He claims not to think but to do, while at the same time has an attention and caring for detail which is hard to find. In many ways he reminds me of my grandfather, who used to make wooden radios and televisions. I see in him and the people he works with the real artisans and craftsmen of the XXI century.
The postcard on the left is from Gala FernĂĄndez. She used to coordinate the design department at FABRICA and then created and has been directing the Europen Design Labs of the IED Madrid since then. From 2010 she is in charge of the VITRA Workshops at Boisbuchet. So after six years of welcoming her as a guest and friend she will now be my boss! The text says: “Hello Sergio, lots of luck in London.. Thanks for your help this summer in Boisbuchet.. I love your lamps! Looking forward to exhibit them in my gallery La Permanente in Madrid. Big hug, Gala.
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