An exhibition about the concept “sobremesa” aims to bring creative professionals from Portugal and Spain together. It can be visited at Arquivo, the Aires Mateus Archive as part of Lisbon Design Week’s Third Edition, between May 28-June 01. I had the chance to have a brief chat with the curators and the LDW team about the concept and what to expect.
Let us start with the word, “sobremesa”, that inspired many books, even some exhibitions and collections. Literally translated, it is the basic phrase for objects placed on a table. But the term evolved to have two distinct definitions across the Iberian border: in Spanish it has come to mean the time spent at the lunch table long after the meal part is over, whereas in Portuguese culture it means dessert.
In many cultures, the fact that it is served after a long and satisfying meal, makes the dessert much more significant than just sweets served at any other time. In the Iberian case, however, it becomes not only the grand finale, but a whole last chapter of a pleasurable affair, alone or shared with others, where conversations ripened through different courses take up a different tone. Maybe time slows down a little bit further. It is a moment of intermission.
And this is exactly what the exhibition curated by MUT Design (Spain) and João Xará (Portugal) wants to unfold. Considering the sobremesa tradition as a shared cultural experience, the exhibition will explore how design and designed objects are an integral part of this moment of exchange. Through multiple creative layers, the exhibition will seek to recreate a sobremesa scene today, a table inviting with today’s both new generation of designers present through their works and more established ones around the table.
Sobremesa is a cultural practice that enables people to come together and cherish everyday life by giving them a chance to have a break from it. It makes me think of how a ritual such as the sobremesa time affects our lives, our thinking, our creative minds. In my opinion, in terms of design, an object might be perfectly functional, which becomes part of our lives seamlessly, but with a bit of additional joy that comes from the (conscious or unconscious) appreciation of it. This might happen instantly - we see and we fall in love with it -, or sometimes the object becomes a part of our lives, enhancing it silently, becoming indispensable without us recognising it. It is a big luxury to be surrounded by such objects, be it a signature piece from a contemporary designer or an anonymous object that has been perfected throughout time.
Bringing together design objects related to table culture around the sobremesa concept is therefore quite interesting. I am wondering how creative one can be nowadays in designing such perfected everyday objects like cutlery or tableware. Or is there space to find new languages for design and today’s long conversations while lingering at the table? For the curators, one of the aims of the exhibition is to show the diversity in production methods. A mass-produced item can be placed perfectly next to an artisanal piece at this table and make their unique contributions to the conversation. In any case, they want to highlight the diversity from both countries. Instead of perhaps more acclaimed, iconic objects, they prioritised works which represent contemporary voices. In multiple creative layers, the exhibition will seek to recreate a sobremesa scene today, a table bringing together both today’s new generation of designers and more established ones through their works.
Sobremesa is a tradition but like many traditions it has many interpretations. In theirs, the curators want to emphasize the group of participants gathering around a table, their diverse perspectives, their discussions, with design assuming a pivotal role. Captured by Miguel Flor, we will see representations of such a sobremesa moment. A display system designed by Vincent Orts will host the curated objects. A sound installation by Cláudio Oliveira will be part of this experience. The curators want to show works at the intersection of art and design, design and sculpture, since they see the boundaries between them changing and blending constantly.
After all, the essence of sobremesa is to be found in everyday life and Iberian creativity. This exhibition with all its different components is an attempt to spark a lasting dialogue around it, a platform to share, to reflect and I am curious to discover it during Lisbon Design Week.
By Şebnem Şoher
Detalhes do evento aqui