Creative Duos Part 4: Gezo and José - Oficina Marques

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To conclude our series on Creative Duos living and working in Lisbon, we spoke to Gezo and José from Oficina Marques about the challenges and opportunities of working on a project together and how Lisbon's plurality shapes their work.

Our friends at Morgado do Quintão, wine producers with a penchant for art and design, joined us on the journey, sharing with us their bottles of wine for the conversation.

So, let us start by asking what is your creative process and what are your respective roles within that creative process?

Gezo: Our creative process is very collaborative. We always start by choosing a theme for the new collections and we discuss what the language, code, the type of story we want to tell, will be and from there we divide the roles.

José: It's a disciplined process and at the same time chaotic, because the exchange of ideas always has these two components. Sometimes we program the theme and we talk about it. But then it's a big brainstorming and it's doubled. So, there are different references, different information that end up being complementary in the work.

How much of the process is planned versus open to the organic free flow?

José: I think that even a very planned work always has surprises from the work itself. When it is born, there comes a time when the planned work comes out of the hands.

I think that's the phase when we produce ceramic and wood pieces, there's that part that we give to the work. And giving to the work is the work to earn a life of its own. So there are wills of their own, that originally weren't in the original project, but they add and gain this dynamic, this life, of what the piece wants to be. This is very interesting.

Gezo: Because it's different from a sketch, for the real material, for the temperatures, the environment, for this unpredictable dynamic that we embrace in our creative process, and that we love, and that we say that our work lives a lot of scars, of imperfections that the process itself brings but then we return to a more organized part, so we often transition between organization and experimentation.

How would you say you complement each other in the creative process?

José: We complement each other by adding energies. We usually say that we are three universes. Gezo has his own personal universe, I have my own creative universe. But our sum creates a third entity, which is Oficina Marques.

That's why we also sign with the name of the studio. Our language is a combination and complement of these different universes, different references, different techniques.

We are increasingly trying to work together. Of course we also make original pieces, I make my own pieces, Gezo has some pieces made by him. But increasingly we want to combine, because in the end we believe that the sum of our energies creates a bigger and more complete work.

Do you prefer to work in collaboration or singularly?

José: Together or separately? They are completely different things. I usually say that there is a biblical passage that says that when we go alone, we arrive faster. But we don't always go further. And this applies to our work separately, because you can streamline things, you discuss with yourself and produce the piece.

When you work in pairs, in collaboration, you have to be attentive to listen. And from your own experience, this is an exercise to do, it's not easy, and I speak for myself. But every time this happens, I look at the final result and see that it's much better, there's much more content, there are points of view of the other, and that's super enriching in a job.

Gezo: I prefer to work together, because I believe that, despite the difficulty of challenging our egos, in the end we can create something much bigger and superior to our creative ego, something more... Complete.

José continues: And then there is another part, which is the touch, the manual of the thing, of cutting, making, gluing. And in these moments, in this process, we have to look for a good collaboration. Because people have different skills, so it's about knowing how to use what each one has best. Because you're not good at everything. And when you have a person, a group to share, you'll find these different forces and the result will be much better.

What is exciting about Lisbon in terms of design?

Gezo: At this moment, I think Lisbon is super exciting in terms of design and art. I always believed that Lisbon was a perfect city to be an artist and to experiment. It is possible to work in a city that, despite being more and more cosmopolitan, more European, it is still a space where you feel an energy that vibrates from experimentation. I believe that events like Lisbon Design Week can and should bring this dynamic. I think that today we should fight for Lisbon to be placed on the map of European design.

Lisbon is also one of the oldest cities in Europe and the truth is that here there are many layers of history. And that is felt. Lisbon, of course, is sol, is Azulejos, it's beach, but it's also the Roman Forum, the Phoenicia. There are many layers of history in this city and we are very inspired by that. It is very vibrant, not only a type of culture, but the culture in Lisbon is plural. That is very exciting in this city.

How can people explore this design culture and history more than just the usual tourist spots?

José: We talked just now about the Núcleo Arqueológico in Baixa on Correiras Street. It's an incredible experience, because you literally go down the excavations and there you find design. You find vases, urns, amphorae, which in the past was used to put canned fish in - the sardines - and then export.

These are fragments of design from different times that Lisbon has embraced for a long time. They are layers of history that are sedimenting one on top of each other. And in the end, it ends up being the life of an object - you realize that the objects have a life and that they are preserved. The people who used them are no longer here, but they continue to tell this story. That's what fascinates us. That's why we go to fairs and visit these places, because we believe that objects have a soul and a spirit that is preserved.

And a final question or two to our friends Morgado Do Quintão - we're curious to know where does the affinity to art and design come from?

What cultural projects do you have currently running?

In terms of cultural projects, Morgado do Quintão is actively involved in wine tourism, offering experiences like wine tastings, winery tours, and accommodations in restored houses that blend traditional exteriors with contemporary interiors. This approach not only showcases the estate's wines but also opens up the rich cultural and historical tapestry of the Algarve to visitors from around the world. We also put together a culture festival named CAMP every 2 years and OpenHouse, which brings local food & music together and sponsor endeavors in the arts world, like Lisbon Design Week.

Why have you chosen to come onboard to support Lisbon Design Week?

The excitement around design in Portugal, particularly in the context of Morgado do Quintão, likely stems from this blending of traditional elements with contemporary aesthetics, whether in the realm of winemaking, hospitality, or the visual arts. Supporting initiatives like the Lisbon Design Week aligns with the estate's broader mission to promote Portuguese culture, heritage, and innovation, and it also engages Morgado do Quintão with its natural community: of creators, dreamers and makers.