Visiting Basalto Collective

After her studies in industrial design and a few studio experiences in Mexico, Paulina Reséndiz took off and settled in Switzerland. As the Mexico’s design scene grew, she decided to offer a window onto this blooming world. And so, Basalto Collective was born. This new platform showcases, initially online only, the work of contemporary Mexican designers. Paying tribute to the country’s renown craftsmanship, the latter skillfully build on traditional techniques to envision remarkable pieces, and develop them in collaboration with local workshops, thereby helping an entire industry to move forward.

With an in-depth knowledge of this scene, Paulina Reséndiz regularly meets the designers and visits their studio to discover new works and learn more about their creation process. She can thus showcase a carefully curated selection of pieces from talented designers such as Andrés Anza, winner of the LOEWE Foundation Craft Prize in 2024. All the chosen pieces honour Mexican craftsmanship culture, through a delicate use of materiality that sublimates the beauty and sensory dimension of handmade work.

To give a well-deserved space to this selection, Basalto Collective presented its first exhibition “echoes” in September 2024, during Zurich Design Weeks. In a beautiful setting that recalled the emblematic Mexican brutalist architecture, the show gathered Mexican and Swiss designers. In a contrasting dialogue, Mexican fine craftsmanship responded to the meticulous precision of Swiss know-how. Bringing both cultural visions together, the show underlined their shared commitment to excellence.

With a new home in Zurich – the Anthracite art space –, Basalto Collective carries on its mission to contribute to the preservation of the Mexican artisanal tradition and to foster exchanges around this rich cultural heritage. On June 18 to 20, 2025, a new exhibition entitled “native matter” will be unveiled as part of the Design / Dialogue by Ark Journal, during 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen. Offering insights into Mexico’s contemporary design panorama, this show featuring the work of eight leading voices, explores the relationship between form, territory, and identity. Design and craftsmanship as an authentic cultural reflection!

basaltocollective.com