Biography

The brothers Humberto (born in 1953) and Fernando Campana (born in 1961) are designers based in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their studio, Estudio Campana, works in partnership with local communities, factories, and industries to create pieces that celebrate the bright colours and rich textures of their native country. Adopting an environmental ethos, the brothers utilise everyday, found materials, reinventing them to achieve simple solutions that do not compromise on aesthetic or design. Their avant-garde and yet playful approach is exemplified by pieces such as Dolphins Banquete, which features stuffed leather dolphins that seem to leap over the frame of the chair, or their cloud-like Bolotos sofa, which looks so fluffy that you could get lost in it. The brothers gained international attention when they became the first Brazilian artists to exhibit their work at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York in 1998. They are the recipients of numerous awards, including the Ordre des Arts et Lettre from the Ministry of Culture in France and the Order of Cultural Merit in Brazil. Their designs are included in the permanent collections of renowned cultural institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. They have also been the subject of several exhibitions including one at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in 2008. Not only focused on design, their studio works in interior design, architecture, and landscaping. The brothers have also collaborated with several prestigious brands, such as H. Stern to create a collection of Brazilian jewelry, with Louis Vuitton to create a cabinet, and in 2009 and in 2012 they were invited to reinterpret the traditional Lacoste polo shirt.