Studio: Marta Figueiredo

Marta Figueiredo’s colourful, tactile creations provoke joy and delight, inviting viewers to interact, engage and play. But beneath the architectural and anthropomorphic forms is a strong sense of narrative, as Marta explores themes such as sustainability, waste and inclusion. “I’m intrigued by the idea of pushing the boundaries of what an object is traditionally thought to be, and I am particularly interested in elements that contribute to a more rich and layered interaction between the individual and the object,” Marta says.

Born in Portugal and living in Melbourne since 2013, Marta has always been interested in making things. She studied architecture in Porto and practised in Paris, London, Portugal and Melbourne, before establishing her own design practice in 2016 to follow her passion for creating objects that present a narrative and viewpoint.

Marta’s first collection, Prima Familia (2018), emerged from her desire to use burel, a traditional Portuguese wool fabric. Local burel factories have recently been revived in the Portuguese mountains, and the fabric’s vibrant colours and tactility inspired Marta to create life-size totems that abstract the human form. In 2019, The Cossack and Queen joined the family, their exaggerated forms and flamboyant colours prompting people to touch, feel and even hug them. “I was surprised by the emotional connection people had,” Marta says.

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In Elementary Abacus, a side table with movable parts invites interaction.

Image: Jonathon Griggs

This connection inspired her to think about the relationships people – including her sister, who is autistic – have with objects. Marta created Elementary Abacus (2020), a side table with movable and sensorial elements, to offer a playful, inclusive way of interacting with furniture.

The conceptual narratives of Marta’s designs originate from a topic, question or moment in time. In collaboration with musician and sound designer Jonathon Griggs, Marta developed Windgate during the Melbourne COVID-19 lockdowns, representing the “otherness” of architecture in a desolate urban environment. Like a twisted skyscraper, Windgate has tactile surfaces and interactive soundscapes, and it was performed at MPavilion in 2021.

To use the resin waste from Windgate, Marta designed the Stardust lamp (2021). Similarly, the Assembly chair, which was shortlisted for MPavilion 2021, is made with recycled household and industrial plastic.

Marta’s latest piece, Creatures of Light (2022), is an illuminated sculpture offering a narrative about climate change. The three-dimensional tapestry creates the effect of lichen, while black textured surfaces evoke volcanic rock. The vibrancy diminishes from top to bottom, pooling on the floor as a symbol of extinction. Like all of Marta’s work, it invites viewers to interact and engage with both the object and the topic.

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