Designer of the Day: Draga & Aurel

Here, we ask designers to take a selfie and give us an inside look at their life.

Age: 56 (Draga). 57 (Aurel).

Occupation: Artists and designers at Draga & Aurel.

Instagram: @dragaandaurel and @aurel_k_basedow

Hometown: Como, Italy.

Studio location: Como, Italy.

Describe what you make: 

Draga & Aurel: Artists, designers, artisans? We don’t like to stay in the boundaries of rigid categories. Our studio has several souls. We’re guided by free creativity, which for us means emotion and vision. We create design objects combined with an artistic approach to material and composition. These pieces reflect us, our different backgrounds, and our evolution as designers.

Draga: Vintage is our passion. By storing heritage, we reinvent vintage design pieces, giving them a second life while also creating something unique. Everything is made by hand in our Como atelier.

Aurel: In the past few years, I’ve especially dedicated myself to art. In painting, I find the best way to get in contact with myself—the space to listen to my inner voice and take care of my needs. My conceptual and material art derives from a variety of skills that I’ve acquired over the past 30 years: carpentry, crafts, dyeing, and design.

The most important thing you’ve designed to date: 

Draga: It’s hard to award one the first place because I’d feel like I was doing wrong by all the other projects we carried out. Perhaps the most important is the one that opened the doors to the wonderful world of design for me: the printed side tables, and the “Printable,” “Organic,” and “Liquid” side tables, as well as the other furniture that’s very distinctive of our works now. The winning idea was to use the pattern prints, typical of the fashion, in the rigid surfaces of the furniture.

Aurel: In terms of initiation—Power, the first table we created by assembling found pieces, has a certain personal importance. At that time, we had no idea where we were going. Finding joy in playing freely without preconceptions was the essence of our nature. Obviously, over the years we’ve done better things.

Describe the problem your work solves: 

Draga: The first one is personal and existential: I love what I do, and feel lucky I can do what I love. The second one is more related to our relationship with memory, past, and heritage. With our art and design objects, we always want to celebrate the past and merge it with the present and future. We like to connect people to the human historical heritage, and we create our own alphabets to communicate and express the stories: faceted languages which are suitable for our multicultural and multidisciplinary universe.

Aurel: Everything I do is existential because, without art, the feeling of emptiness would be unbearable. In painting, I find the best way to get in contact with myself. There’s a strong transformational healing work every time I paint. I’m so lucky my passion became my work. There’s nothing better than earning with what you love. 

Describe the project you’re working on now: 

Draga: We’re working to implement Transparency Matters, our capsule collection that reflects the use of transparent materials as well as a deeper exploration of what transparency can mean in art and design. Specifically, we’re working on the Joy lamps, organic light “pills” in resin inspired by the Space Age, and the Golia series that features an unusual combination of material: the raw, solid concrete together with the brightness of resin.  

Aurel: The main project I’m working on is to create a detectable format of art and design, a new form of artistic representation that could combine self-standing art with our design and thought. 

A new or forthcoming project we should know about: 

We’re currently presenting art and design pieces at “BOKEH,” an exhibition curated by Mint Shop of London. The event features a distinct capsule collection that merges traditional craft and innovative techniques. We’re also working on new furniture collaborations and may participate in an exclusive art and design exhibition in 2021. Stay tuned!

What you absolutely must have in your studio: 

Draga: Moka is a need. Pastel colors, light, and transparencies are my serenity, as well as my most recent thoughts and projects. The studio is my mirror. It’s also my intimate creative chaos, full of inspirational books about design, art, and curiosities, vintage magazines, and material samples of every kind which sometimes are there just to give me an idea to resolve a project I’m making. I must admit I have a really big second-hand ties and fabrics addiction.

Aurel: During my first phase of cathartic painting, I often use my favorite musician: James Brown. At that moment, there’s no thinking involved. Pure animalistic instinct is welcome. Healthy snacks are a double must because my metabolism is as rapid as James Brown’s dancing. My mentors are captured in massive art volumes. The vibes in my studio are always good because I love my collaborators. 

What you do when you’re not working: 

Draga: Traveling when possible, but I’m also satisfied wandering around flea markets for healthy vintage scouting or Lake Como. We’re lucky to live here; we have a boat to discover the beauty of this magic territory. Good books, food and wine, as well as stimulating conversations are always welcome. 

Aurel: Artists work all the time! When not painting, I play drums in my studio when my collaborators go home every day. It’s like creating a sound painting in my head. We’re also totally in love with Lake Como. Our best moments of solitude are with our boat.

Sources of creative envy: 

Draga: Gio Ponti, for his designs are full of human congeniality and imagination. They’re sharp, essential, and pure.

Aurel: The genius and versatility of Picasso. The consistency of Gerhard Richter. The success of Christopher Wool.

The distraction you want to eliminate: 

Draga: Moments of uncertainty that make me hesitate.

Aurel: Seeing defects at first rather than positives.

Concrete or marble?

Draga: Concrete! I love it and use it for its expressive power.

Aurel: Absolutely concrete for its color, which emphasizes any other material and color you place next to it.

High-rise or townhouse? 

Draga: High-rise. I love the view you can get—so exciting and dramatic.

Aurel: High-rise gives me a sense of being closer to godly inspirations.

Remember or forget?

Draga: I have a very bad memory, so remember.

Aurel: I wish I had a better memory.

Aliens or ghosts?

Draga: I have big expectations from aliens.

Aurel: Somehow I believe in ghosts, but I’ve never seen one.

Dark or light? 

Draga: We need light to see colors!

Aurel: Dark. Since I was a child, I loved Rembrandt for his profound darkness.