Mona Diniz

Tapestry maker

When design finds tapestry craftsmanship

Mona creates hand-embroidered tapestry frames which she learnt to make on her own
She uses tapestry as a medium to express her contemporary design vision
Her tapestry can be seen in home decoration pieces as well as carpets and even jewellery collections

Although Mona Diniz, born and raised in Belo Horizonte, has a degree in Design and Photography, her curiosity for manual values led her towards tapestry. “I carry the idea of design in my work and it manifests as different colours and formats that allow me to develop series and collaborations,” says Mona. Many of her contemporary designs are inspired by architecture, especially Brazilian modernism, with its shapes and modules. She was invited to demonstrate her techniques on a TV show and was later invited by Casa Vogue in São Paulo and Argentina to participate in various workshops. This recognition for her work opened doors to new collaborations for Mona, giving life to her designs through more unexpected interpretations such as tapestry in jewellery.

Interview

What made you focus on hand-embroidered tapestry?: Ever since I graduated in Design and Photography, I felt the urge to continue experimenting creatively, first with ceramics, then with tapestry. Even though I am self-taught, I consider my first master to have been my grandmother, who enchanted me with manual activities from an early age.
What is your approach to your tapestry work?: Long before technical excellence – which is obviously essential – I take a conceptual and formal approach to my work. I use research and references to develop the designs, I study colours. Everything needs to be well thought out to reflect the values my studio TapeTo stands for.
Is there an element of surprise in what you do?: Tapestry is often mistakenly seen as a purely technical craft, and sometimes people are surprised at how much design and artistic thought goes into each piece. Each time I see my ideas materialised into something real and tangible, I am amazed by the process.
How do you see your collections grow?: One of the first pieces I made when I opened my workshop in 2017, I named Yara, as a tribute to my grandmother. It still remains an iconic TapeTo piece and its design has been applied to carpets and even jewellery. I love the idea of using tapestry in unexpected ways.

Mona Diniz is a rising star: she began her career in 2017 and she started teaching in 2020