Moving away from mass-produced materials, a group of young designers showcase a range of unique works at CASACOR Miami 2018
Submitted at Dec 11, 2018, 12:46 PM
Inspired by the theme of environmental awareness, CASACOR Miami 2018 curator Jessica Acosta Rubio invited an innovative group of young, emerging designers whose work embodies a post-industrial artisanal mindset. Founded by designer Fernando Mastrangelo and co-curated by design writer Hannah Martin, In Good Company is an exhibition that has evolved into a kind of non-profit collective, and was born from the desire to offer a platform to emerging professionals who often struggle and compete for spaces in the creative scene of New York and other major cities in the USA. 
Acosta-Rubio explains that his decision to work with In Good Company comes from his experience as a product design professional and his long relationship with Mastrangelo's work. Martin and Mastrangelo chose to focus on American designers, a decision that fueled the Eurocentric international design scene. They wanted to draw attention to American production. “It was important for us to bring together a mix of people that really reflected the great and diverse America , representing different races and sexes from different parts of the country,” explains Martin. 
They selected a diverse lineup of emerging designers whose diverse work adds to an engaging narrative built around unconventional materials and techniques. In Good Company emphasizes craftsmanship and a movement that goes against the grain of Mastrangelo and Martin see as a contemporary obsession with industrial design and mass production. An experienced designer, Mastrangelo is no stranger to unorthodox materials. He experimented extensively with different platforms, including gunpowder and sugar, and encouraged In Good Company 's designers to do the same. Whether it's a chainsaw impregnated with industrial-grade resin for mirrors that carves a sinuous wooden table, or ceramic elements of a chandelier, the pieces reflect the artistic individuality of each designer. Martin explains: “The pieces – lights, chairs, tables – are functional, but they are all unique and highly handcrafted. They could just as easily sit in an art gallery as in the living room. ” of someone”. 
