Liliana Ovalle

For Liliana Ovalle, an object is never truly complete. "I’m interested in ad hoc assemblages because they reveal people’s expectations of how things should be," she says. "They are the ‘unofficial’ version of function and efficiency." Ovalle’s designs capture this spontaneity, like the Mugroso series, which began as a graduation project at London’s Royal College of Art in 2006. Inspired by the changing historic center
of her native Mexico City, El Otro, the final installment in the series, has a metal frame with wooden slats through which cushions are tangled over time—a unique seating arrangement that evolves with use. Likewise, her Totem series of stacked ceramic containers rewards experimentation: Because there is no fixed configuration, users are free to create their own visual compositions. Though her work promotes unpredictability, Ovalle has long-term goals: namely, to set up a new studio in Mexico City’s flourishing design scene.