A Handmade Modernism is a comprehensive volume that retraces nearly seventy years of design evolution in Mexico, focusing on how craft and modern industry intersect and merge within the country’s unique cultural context. The result is a distinct modernist design language that is both rooted in tradition and responsive to contemporary life.
The story begins in 1952, when Cuban-Mexican designer Clara Porset curated Mexico’s first design-focused exhibition—Art in Daily Life: Well-Designed Objects Made in Mexico (El arte en la vida diaria: Objetos de buen diseño hechos en México). This groundbreaking show not only laid the foundation for modern Mexican design but also opened the door to a new vision—one that embraced the fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern industrial production. Porset advocated for design grounded in daily life, responsive to real needs, and respectful of cultural memory and artisanal skills—an approach that profoundly shaped the evolution of Mexican design aesthetics.
Taking this pivotal moment as its starting point, the book delves into the rich and diverse design practices and cultural movements in Mexico from the 1950s to the present. Through a collection of insightful essays, exhibition photography, and archival materials, A Handmade Modernism maps out a creative landscape shaped by designers, artists, and craftspeople. Their works span graphic design, furniture, clothing, accessories, and everyday objects, all expressing a mestizo aesthetic—a hybrid visual language that is distinctly Mexican yet globally aware.
More than a historical record, this book offers a critical reflection on culture and life through design. It poses essential questions: How does design respond to its era? Where do we draw the line between craft and industry? And when tradition meets modernity, can we imagine a new, more human-centered way of living rooted in place and identity? A Handmade Modernism offers one possible answer, told through the compelling story of Mexican design.
Authors: Vv.AA, Ana Elena Mallet (Editor), Cuauhtémoc Medina (Editor), Jorge F. Rivas (Editor)