Barcelona Cultura

The 'Umbral' frame and the 'Estandarte' banner, two unique typologies

They are two extremely original pieces with which Carles Riart created a new type of furniture, that had been preserved disassembled and now have been assembled and photographed. The designer himself has helped in this task, which includes several pieces, all handmade.

The Umbral frame (1980) functions as an ornamental free-standing frame and is intended to emphasize an entrance. The idea is that it is placed in front of a door, acting as a frame, an idea that, according to Riart "it doesn't start with the discipline of design, but as a piece of furniture it has a transversal look, without wanting to be a product". It recalls the wooden frames that marked the access to properties, very typical of American ranches, and that is why it has flakes of filamented esparto grass that evoke contact with the rustic earth. A second specimen, with red feathers, explores its versatility and the possibilities it provides.

The banner Estandarte (1992) takes the idea of a pre-existing and ancient object, the banner, which here acts as a modern sign that adopts the basic colors and creates a play of complementarity with the central mirror, so that the person reflected is outside, but also inside. It is, therefore, a flag that can be for everyone, a banner for everyone.

Ajuntament de Barcelona