Pablo Macadar

El Candil

Lamp maker

Pablo Macadar©Raffaela Medici

Driven to create the unexpected

Pablo got into lamp making almost by accident
His pieces are warm and translucent
He uses local, renewable vegetation in making his pieces

Although he studied architecture, Pablo Macadar was always interested in urban art, photography in the city, landscaping, and clay constructions. It was thanks to the invitation of Raffaela Medici, a teacher in plastic arts, that he began, almost unintentionally, to make handmade lamps. “In 1999 I started making a rather irregular table lamp, a similar floor lamp and then a ceiling lamp that we called Paneira. It was a success and from then on orders began to come in. This gave an extra impulse to the fascination I experienced when I saw the result of un-designed forms, textures and structures. This is still my main driving force today," says Pablo.

Interview

Pablo Macadar©Raffaela Medici

Pablo Macadar©Raffaela Medici

What materials do you use?: I use materials from the vegetation that grows everywhere in our land, such as wicker, which is renewable. Added to this is the paper that is produced here, as well as canvas. The appearance of my pieces seeks to resemble the dense canopy of our native forests and rolling landscapes.
When do you know a piece has turned out the way you wanted it to?: When I find that it has a defined identity, coherence in all aspects and details, a good finish, that the paper or fabric does not wrinkle or pucker, and that it will last over time. If it is designed for a specific context, it must be harmonious with that context.
What advantage do your pieces have over mass-produced pieces?: The warm and human atmosphere that these handmade lighting objects produce when they are incorporated into a living space is not easily achieved with lamps produced industrially. This is a factor that I believe continues to be a necessity in the world that surrounds us.
What is your advice for young artisans?: I would suggest following what moves them, to be persistent in the face of frustrations, which necessarily occurs. To be flexible in the face of the supply of available materials, not to abandon the spirit of research and to maintain motivation. We must always value what we do.

Pablo Macadar is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2000