Hugo França and Paulo Alves

Overall very good condition. Minor ware, scuffing and scratches concentrated to the bases of the feet. One foot with a split measuring approximately 5.5 cm long and appears stable.One minor chip to the base of one leg measuring 0.5 cm long. One leg with a chip to the base of the foot measuring approximately 0.2 cm.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The designers Hugo França and Paulo Alves have had a passion for wood as the guiding thread of their work. So much so, that they decided to unite their mastery in the handling of the raw material for the creation of a series of unique pieces. Both men combined their skills as designers to engage with the common project of bringing wood back into human use in a harmonious and sustainable way.  

"Project 2: Paulo Alves + Hugo França," has the objective of bringing innovative forms and intriguing perspectives to the world of traditional furniture making. The partnership gave life to a set of limited pieces carved in woods such as garapeira, roxinho, ipê and pequi, among others. At the core of the series lies the will to incorporate the geometry of the wood work, its inherent organic forms, into their designs.

Adept of respect for nature, Hugo França proposes the use of forest residues and woody materials. The starting point is his sensitive look at the trees – some, centenarians and in extinction – taking into concern their controversial status in today`s Brazil; "For me, more encompassing than constructive reasoning is the desire to reveal the essence and potential of wood, to shed light on this wealth so great and poorly exploited in Brazil." From this noble but discarded material, he creates unique pieces with their trunks, branches and roots that would have no usefulness or commercial value were it not for their accurate gaze and precise intervention.

His design partner Paulo Alves is nationally known for his work with wood and an architect specializing in furniture design. He has also become a tree sculptor - a craft that he plays with creatively and, above all, sustainably. Having taken his first steps in working in Lina Bo Bardi`s studio, Paulo Alves also integrates the first research team to inventory the archives of the Bardi Institute in 1990, and was greatly influences and inspired by the Italian-Brazilian architect. Working at the Baraúna plant in São, Paulo watched passively the amounts of waste that were produced. Until, without much pretence, he began to make small pieces of furniture with the scraps he collected in the trash. He had found the language that would consecrate him as an artist. He opened his own carpentry in the Cambuci neighborhood of São Paulo, where only sustainably sourced wood comes in – a management that implements the subdivision of land into several parts, extracting raw material from a single area every year which allows for enough forest growth and recovery time. A few years later pieces like the Cercadinho buffet appeared, whose door brings a composition made with remains of woods of different colours and textures, which would be discarded. Later Alves explored clean forms, with an apparent and clear design, opposing the desire to involve the observer, explicit in the structures in balance and in the variations of proportion.