José Zanine Caldas
José Zanine Caldas (1919-2001) was a self-taught designer whose work is defined by its raw, natural and sculptural qualities.
Caldas believed in living in harmony with nature, a conviction that runs through both his designs and his approach to architecture. The human quest for unity with nature became the main theme of his work. His style rests on respect for natural materials and natural forms, and that remains the hallmark of his legacy.
Biography
José Zanine Caldas was born in Belmonte, Brazil, in 1919 and had no formal training as a designer. He began his career in the construction industry, building models for renowned architects and designers, among them Oscar Niemeyer. His approach, skill and ingenuity earned him the admiration of figures such as Lucio Costa and Niemeyer.
Returning later in his career to his home state of Bahia, Caldas was struck by the local craftsmen who carved boats and furniture out of felled trees. He adapted their technique for sculptural wooden furniture and artworks, chiselling and carving each piece by hand, so that no two were alike and the raw beauty of the material stayed in view. These handmade works became the centrepiece and the pinnacle of his later career.
Models and collaborations
In 1948 Caldas founded Móveis Artísticos Z, a company producing semi-mass-produced plywood furniture. For his handmade work he made the radical decision to use only found wood, following the practice of local craftsmen, a choice that gave rise to the collection known as Móveis Denúncia, or protest furniture.
He worked exclusively with wood from trees that had died or fallen naturally. As an advocate of rainforest conservation, Caldas established the Foundation Center for the Development of the Application of Brazilian Woods, through which he worked against the destruction of the rainforest by funding education and raising awareness of sustainable practice.