Designer of the month in March – Kauker Szilvia
Every month since 2009, WAMP has been introducing designers who elevate the market hype to share more about a designer than just his or her products. Kauker Szilvi has reanimated and reconsidered an almost forgotten technique, and created her own barnd: MOZA. Her manufactory designs and produces cement and mosaic tiles in the most beautiful colours, with the most exciting patterns!
Brand
Szilvi has been working with cement tiles since 2006 in her workshop in Magyarpolány. The manufacturing process has a history of 150 years, but she is dealing with tiles and looking at them in a totally different and fresh way.
These traditional tiles have been called different names since the 19th century: cement tile, mettlachi and mosaic tiles. That explains the name MOZA – it derived from the word: mosaic.
Szilvi is a co called “cement tile pimper”: Her main goal is to make these tiles famous and available again here, in Hungary. Besides passing on the traditions, she would like to introduce the inherent possibilities of the material. “The technique follows the traditions, the innovation lies within the new patterns and fresh colour combinations. We love to experiment.” In the manufactory, they are always working with domestic materials.”
Bio
Szilvi studied at the Hungarian University of Art and Design, the Hungarian University of Horticultural Science and the West-Hungarian University and produced the first cement tiles in the framework of her diploma piece. Since 2007, she has the opportunity to continue this activity as a holder of the 'Kozma Lajos' Craft and Design Scholarship. She has travelled all around the world looking for new techniques. In Morocco, Spain and Portugal she worked with local craftsmen, eager to learn their secrets. “Naturally, the hardest part was yet to come, since due to the geographical characteristics, the possibilities in Hungary were totally different.” But she got through it, and she’s been doing the work that would require at least 6 adult men by herself since then. “I’m shifting 50 kilograms, my hands are always covered with cement that won’t come off. I am not just a designer, but also a skilled worker, a cement technologist, a manager and a salesman, all rolled into one. “
Favourites
In the moment, she is in love with Juhász Ádám’s lamps, but she is also really into the works of Dutch designers, “where tradition is elegantly combined with a modern form culture within one piece of art.”
Feedback
“The most delightful moments are when a satisfied customer call us and tells us, how happy she is with the result. Also, I am really thankful for the commendatory emails that I’m receiving.”
Awards
Kozma Lajos Craft and Design Scholarship
Quotation
“ I really like the smell of the workshop – that comfy, oily atmosphere filled with the smell of cement. That’s also a really nice feeling when we finish a surface and a whole new space will come to life. During the process, we only see the 20x20 centimetre pieces, and it simply amazing to see a floor for example in a whole.”
Plans
WAMP-surprise
Web
www.moza.hu
