Fernando Laposse

Corn Snake Roll

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Previously exhibited at Basel 2021.

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Description/

Totomoxtle is a new veneer developed using husks of heirloom Mexican corn. Ranging from deep purples to soft creams, Totomoxtle showcases the wealth of diversity of the native corns of Mexico which are naturally colourful and are essential for the rich gastronomy of the country.

But this project goes far beyond simply aesthetics. Totomoxtle focuses on regenerating traditional agricultural practices in Mexico and creating a new craft that generates income for impoverished farmers and promotes the preservation of biodiversity for future food security.

Unfortunately, the number of native varieties of Mexican corn are currently in sharp decline due to international trade agreements, aggressive use of herbicides and pesticides, and the influx of highly modified foreign seeds. The market now favours standardised features which can only be obtained with genetically modified and hybrid corns.

At the moment, the only hope for saving the heirloom species of maize lies with the indigenous people. They continue to plant them out of tradition rather than financial gain.

Solid wood with native corn husk marquetry.

Fernando Laposse

designer

Fernando Laposse (1988) is a London-based Mexican designer, he trained in Central Saint Martins as a product designer. Fernando specializes in transforming humble natural materials into refined design pieces. He has worked extensively with overlooked plant fibers such as sisal, loofah, and corn leaves. He often works with indigenous communities in his native Mexico to create local employment opportunities and raise awareness about the challenges they face in a globalized world. His projects are informative and educational addressing topics such as the environmental crisis, the loss of biodiversity, community dissolution, migration, and the negative impacts of global trade in local agriculture and food culture. He does so by documenting the issues and announcing possible resolutions through the transformative power of design. His projects have been exhibited in the Triennale di Milano, Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, The Design Museum in London, Victoria and Albert, the World Economic Forum, and Miami Basel to name a few. His work is held in the permanent collections of the V&A and SF MoMA.