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CARLO HAUNER, MARTIN EISLER E MODERNIZAÇAO DO MÓVIL NO BRASIL (2019)
CARLO HAUNER, MARTIN EISLER E A
MODERNIZAÇAO DO MÓVEL NO BRASIL
SAO PAULO
MUSEU BELAS ARTES
AUG 23 2019 - OCT 14 2019
In the middle of the 20th century, Brazil underwent profound economic and social changes that resulted in the growth and verticalization of its urban centers.
Contingents of immigrants, many of whom came to the country after the Second World War to start a new life, were going to these cities, and optimism was in the air. In architecture and design, the development of a modern language and an industry capable of producing new materials provided tools to respond to the challenges of furnishing a new type of housing and a new aspiration for a cosmopolitan lifestyle.
It was within this context that Carlo Hauner (1927-96) penetrated the modern furniture scene in the region. He was Italian and arrived in São Paulo in 1948 and by 1950 had founded the company Móveis Artesanal to produce modern furniture. Hauner was the main designer of the company until he came into partnership with Martin Eisler (1913-77), an Austrian architect who immigrated to Brazil through Argentina in 1953.
"This exhibition was the largest to be shown in Brazil on the work from the memorable partnership of, Carlo Hauner & Martin Eisler, during the period in which they were at the head of Móveis Artesanal e Forma"
The duo were responsible for the design of pieces that became classics of the modern Brazilian design era and their store became a symbol of sophistication.
Artesanal was also an incubator for many leading designers in Brazil, having employees from Ernesto and Georgia Hauner to Sergio Rodrigues. Although successful, the company was short-lived: in 1955 it rebranded itself as Forma and Carlo Hauner disengaged from society.
This exhibition was the largest yet to be shown in Brazil on the work of these two memorable designers during the period in which they were at the head of Móveis Artesanal e Forma. Class works of theirs were brought together for the first time since the 1950s.
Martin Eisler (Vienna, Austria, 1913 - São Paulo, Brazil, 1977) was an architect and furniture designer. He was part of a group of European architects and designers who left Europe during the chaos of the Second World War and went to live and work in Brazil. Eisler stood out amongst this group of creatives. His work was at the forefront of modern furniture design in Brazil, which flourished through the 50s and 60s. Eisler's work in partnership with Carlo Hauner (1927-1996) was of particular significance.
Eisler left Europe in 1938 due to the rise of fascist regimes. He first lived in Argentina, where he was settled and worked as an architect, set designer, and interior designer. Eisler opened up an interior design firm Interieur Forma. In 1940, he married Rosl Wolf, the daughter of German immigrants.
Born in Brescia in 1927, Carlo Hauner studied technical drawing and drawing at the Brera Academy in Milan, Italy. In 1948 he successfully participated in the Venice Biennale, after which he moved to Brazil, where he dedicated himself to the design of textile, ceramics, furniture, and architecture. After purchasing a factory from Lina Bo Bardi and her husband Pietro Bardi, he quickly founded a furniture production company, renaming it Móveis Artesanal.
In 1953 Hauner met Martin Eisler, who was looking for help to produce furniture for the home of his brother-in-law, Ernesto Wolf. Eisler reached out to Hauner, marking the beginning of a flourishing partnership. The two men connected, and with Wolf's financial backing, they opened Galeria Artesanal (a store for their company Móveis Artesanal) on a busy street in São Paulo.
Being highly ambitious and with an eye on the international market and the upcoming office market, Móvies Artesanal later changed into Forma. Along with Oca, Forma became one of the biggest names in Brazilian furniture production. Eisler attracted exclusive license to sell Knoll furniture, bringing big names in international design such as Mies Van Der Rohe, Charles Eames, and Harry Bertoia to the Brazilian furniture market. Hauner and Eisler's designs are characterized by Brazilian woods, thin tubular frames, and range from furniture to ceramics and textiles. Some of their most famous designs are the "rib" lounge chair, the "concha/haia" chair or "reversible" lounge chair, both shown in this exhibition. In 1958 Hauner decided to return to Italy to open Forma di Brescia, which catered to, e.g., the embassy of Brazil in Rome and Vatican City. Eventually, Hauner sold his part of the company, leaving Eisler solely at the helm to paint and make wine on Salina, a little isle just above Sicily. After a fulfilled life, the artist, designer, and serial entrepreneur died in 1997. Forma prospered during the 60's and 70's, until Martin Eisler died in 1977. His original company in Argentina still exists and, at the moment, is the sole heir to Hauner and Eisler's Heritage. Although Hauner and Eisler designed and produced many pieces, the depth and quality of their work outlined is only the beginning of their lasting impact on the design world.