The Madrid-based architectural practice SIERRA+DELAHIGUERA (S+DLH) has partnered with Barcelona's VASTO Gallery to present "Capsule 04 · Selected to live inside architecture," a compelling exhibition that challenges traditional distinctions between various creative disciplines. Located at the S+DLH Gallery on Calle Orellana, this project brings together an array of contemporary artworks, unique design pieces, and selections from S+DLH's own extensive archive. The core concept behind the exhibition is to investigate the seamless integration of objects, artistic creations, and the built environment, proposing a shared existence rather than a rigid separation based on conventional categories.
This exhibition marks the beginning of an ongoing collaborative venture between S+DLH and VASTO, a home gallery established by Carmen Riestra in Poblenou. Their partnership aims to redefine the relationship between art and interior design, moving beyond the idea of art as a mere decorative afterthought. Instead, they advocate for a more fundamental intertwining, where works represented by VASTO will organically become part of S+DLH's future residential and commercial projects. "Capsule 04" serves as an inaugural exploration of this unified vision, connecting the two entities through their shared appreciation for material qualities, spatial atmosphere, and the profound impact objects have on how we perceive and experience a given space.
The exhibition highlights the contributions of three distinct artists from VASTO's roster. Pol Agustí, a Barcelona native now residing in Mexico City, crafts pieces that oscillate between tangible objects, ritualistic significance, and a palpable presence, often utilizing clay and repurposed materials to forge forms that are both familiar and enigmatic. His low-fired ceramics retain the marks of their creation—gestures, irregularities, and the kiss of fire—imbuing the material with raw authenticity and elevating everyday forms to a more symbolic realm. Max Milà Serra, based in Barcelona, adopts a more precise approach, incorporating engineering principles, light, and sensory perception into minimalist structures designed to subtly alter their surrounding ambiance. His works aim not simply to illuminate a room but to delicately recalibrate its entire atmosphere. Concurrently, Esther Gatón explores a diverse range of artistic expressions, including sculpture, installation, audiovisual art, and written text. Her recent creations involve hand-dyed linen, produced through meticulous, non-replicable processes, where variations in pigment, time, and human touch are embraced as integral components of the artwork itself, rather than flaws to be corrected.
Beyond the featured artists from VASTO, S+DLH also showcases selections from its own design portfolio, including items being publicly displayed for the first time and pieces retrieved from its accumulated archive. Breaking away from the conventions of a typical showroom, these works are thoughtfully arranged as elements within a larger spatial composition. In this setting, the concepts of individual authorship and strict categorization recede, giving precedence to the interplay of proximity, scale, and material dialogue. Here, a lamp can transcend its functional role to resemble a sculpture, while a sculptural piece might unexpectedly feel perfectly at home within the domestic context.
This deliberate blurring of boundaries lies at the heart of "Capsule 04." Under the evocative subtitle "Selected to live inside architecture," the exhibition proposes a new understanding of collecting – not as the mere accumulation of isolated, impactful items, but as a deliberate process of constructing environments over time. Art, furniture, lighting fixtures, and found objects are allowed to coexist without any rigid hierarchy, culminating in interiors that evoke a sense of thoughtful assembly rather than prescriptive styling. This innovative approach fosters richer, more nuanced spatial experiences, inviting viewers to engage with their surroundings in a deeper, more integrated manner, where every element contributes to a cohesive and meaningful whole.