Reinaldo Sanguino
Reinaldo Sanguino makes good use of his ceramic stool during the opening of Casa Perfect Gallery, Vogue.com
We had the pleasure of meeting and working with the Venezuelan ceramicist and designer through The Future Perfect, and hosted an exhibition of his work at the Salon Art + Design Fair in 2019 at The Park Avenue Armory.
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Reinaldo Sanguino now lives and works in New York where he creates one-of-a-kind clay creations bearing the artist’s signature bold graphics, vivid color palette, and many featuring liquid gold.
His work is displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, the MINT Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has also shown at Design Miami/ as part of Art Basel Miami Beach, Ambiente, Edit Napoli in Italy, and collaborated with Diane Von Furstenburg to decorate her NYC studio. Today, we sit down with the designer himself.
Reinaldo Sanguino, The Future Perfet Gallery, Salon Art + Design Fair, Park Avenue Armory, NYC, 2019
Where are you from originally and where do you live now? I was born in Caracas, Venezuela and I currently live in New York City.
Where and what did you study? School of Visual Arts Cristobal Rojas, Ceramics.
When did you know you wanted to be a ceramist and work with clay? After taking my first ceramics class during my Freshman year in school.
How did you find yourself in NYC? In the summer of 1992, I came from Venezuela to attend a summer program at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. During that trip, I visited NYC and fell in love with the city. I relocated here the year after.
Who or what inspires you? The physical space, everything around me, my life, personal experiences, and interactions.
What do you love most about working with clay as a medium? The versatility of the material and the element of the unknown in the kiln.
Did you have mentors? My professors in school Edgar Zabala and Hilda Zapata.
You have a collaboration with Diane Von Furstenberg. How did the DVF Studio x Reinaldo Sanguino partnership come about? I was invited by Tina Worsley to be a part of the DVF Studio X Soho Series. Drawing inspiration from the Fall DVF ‘17 prints, I created a series of one-off hand-painted, glazed, ceramic pieces.
How often are you able to visit your home country Venezuela? Not as often as I wish.
What is the first thing you do when you land? Think of my next stop for a home-cooked meal.
Where do you go for Venezuelan food in NYC when you are missing home? Arepas Cafe in Astoria.
What is your favorite hotel in Caracas and why? Pestana Hotel because of its amazing view of El Avila mountain.
Favorite place to drink and dine? El Hatillo is a colonial town in the South East side of the city. It is a local spot in the Bolivar central square, filled with open-air terrace restaurants.
Favorite cultural activity? The Plaza de los Museos is filled with the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Museum of Natural Sciences.
Best day or weekend trip activity? Hiking in El Avila mountain
Favorite beaches? Margarita Island, Los Roques and Morrocoy.
Where do you dream of traveling next? Morocco.
What is next for you? I'm extremely excited about the current development of my work in the studio and future collaboration with artist friends and other people I’ve met during the past year.
DVF Studio x Reinald Sanguino, Soho, NYC
Text: Veronica H. Speck Photo: Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA.com via Vogue.com Follow: @r.sanguino