In its new book, The Porcelain Revolution, Lladró has compiled its most experimental creations in porcelain, the end result of seven decades revolutionizing handcrafted creation in this noble material. Designed by the brand’s art team in conjunction with the Valencia-based Odosdesign studio, the book takes the reader on a walkthrough of its most varied creations, showcasing an artisan quality that also connects with its history.
The carefully edited book compiles the results of Lladró’s most experimental facet: an imperative need to break new ground in porcelain, and its tireless quest to achieve this aim. The results are creations that have gradually evolved until becoming benchmarks in contemporary design which captivate with their bold forms and surprising decorations.
A very special place in the catalogue is reserved for collections like the iconic The Guest. The initial piece created by Jaime Hayon reflects the designer’s world of fantasy, while its various interpretations by artists of the stature of Kzeng Jiang, Paul Smith, Gary Baseman, Henn Kim, Rolito, Devilrobots, Ricardo Cavolo, Tim Biskup and Supakitch and versions in color create a dazzling effect in any interior.
Also featured are other designs by Hayon, like Embraced and The Fantasy collection, which was the start of what was to become a very fruitful partnership in 2005, marking a before-and-after for the brand. As Hayon contends, “I wanted to be part of the company’s process of evolution. For various generations, its artisans have accrued consummate control over the techniques of porcelain art. My job was to add an extra contemporary touch.”
The dialogue between nature, design and craft is to the fore in the Lladró catalogue in creations that defend the key role of each player in the ecosystem, like Awesome Insects, or even creating its own ecosystem with the Plant the Future initiative carried out jointly with Paloma Teppa.
Creations using the Dazzle technique or the Ink collection bring humanity, emotion and diversity, while the Re-Cyclos project, with the collaboration of Bodo Sperlein and Committee, is an excellent example of how design can contribute to the revitalization of traditional craft processes.
Every page of The Porcelain Revolution contains a playful component. For instance, the font is a key element in the design, used to emphasize interactivity. The reader is encouraged to become yet another creator in the Lladró universe, discovering textures and plays of transparencies, creating their own self-adhesive tattoos or masks, and also decorating interiors to their own taste with their favorite pieces by the brand.
The book gives lovers of design and crafts a chance to enjoy the brand’s more unexpected and playful side. With an extra dash of design, art and craft in porcelain, it is an invitation to reconnect with life through the beauty, personality and essence of the things that surround us.
Lladró, 21st-century porcelain:
For seventy years, Lladró has deployed its unparalleled know-how in the field of porcelain in its only factory in the world, in Valencia. Each piece is delicately made by sculptors and artisans in an entirely handcrafted process that combines age-old techniques with its own unmistakable palette of colors. Lladró also explores the vast creative potential of porcelain in collaborative projects with renowned contemporary artists and designers. The universe of the brand, property of PHI Industrial since 2017, embraces sculptures, lighting, objects for the home and interior design as well as fashion accessories. Famous all over the world, Lladró is an ambassador for Spain in the over 120 countries to which it exports its porcelains through a select network of its own boutiques and distributors.
