A journey through time and space, ‘XISTO’ is a tribute to the eponymous rock that shapes the landscape and identity of northeastern Portugal’s Foz Côa, cradle of two UNESCO World Heritages Sites: the Prehistoric Art of the Côa Valley and the Alto Douro Wine Region.
Both strong and delicate, schist is deeply imbricated in the interaction between man and nature in the region over millennia: its impressive, vertical formations offered the perfect canvases for the biggest concentration of open-air rock art known in the world, while its use as a structural support for Douro vineyards helped sculpt the world-famous terraced slopes.
Comprising furniture and lighting pieces, this collection highlights the material’s allure, coalescing traditions and compressing eras to convey myriad exciting possibilities. Past and present, contrasting scales, mysterious imbalances. From rugged, oxidised textures to pitch-black polished surfaces, the collection speaks of both the power of nature and the ingenuity of man, and of the ancient, enduring drive for artistic expression and communication.
