Jordi Ribas Ros

Cabinetmaker

Furniture with personality

Jordi is influenced by Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudí
He carries out in-depth research in ergonomics to create his designs
His pieces investigate the relationship between aesthetics and emotion

Jordi grew up in Cordoba, Argentina, where he and his brother had a cabinetmaking and carpentry workshop. On a trip to Spain he met his future wife and a year later decided to settle on the Spanish island of Majorca. Alongside his work as a carpenter, Jordi worked for several years with a local NGO which took him to Guatemala, where he encountered Mayan culture. A Mayan priest introduced him to the Mayan book of destiny, a synchronisation of 30 Mayan calendars, which analyses people’s personalities and emotions based on their date of birth. When possible, Jordi draws on these ideas in his work, strengthening his relationship with the people for whom he is creating original furniture.

Interview

How did you start to work in the way that you do?: The work of Gaudí really interested me, and on a visit to Barcelona I bought a tool at Els Encants (a second-hand market) that I had never seen before – a ‘tail brush’ that was curved, enabling the brushing and polishing of curved and concave shapes.
What did that lead you to make?: I started to work in a different way. I wanted to make a faithful copy of a kitchen chair that used to be in most rural houses here on the island. It was a copy, but not an imitation – there are many imitations here which are industrially made and therefore alter the special curves and characteristics.
What skills do you bring to your job?: I believe that my abilities are not just technical. I am able to harmoniously combine functionality and spirituality in a single object. The organic forms found in nature are a real inspiration for this, as well as symbolism and local customs.
Can you explain how you work?: The objects I create generally fulfil a function. When I know the personality of who will use it and the environment where it will be located, I start designing. I draw on the natural forms of the object’s eventual surroundings and the emotions of the person. I also choose the wood to suit the client’s tastes.

Jordi Ribas Ros is a master artisan: he began his career in 1979 and he started teaching in 1992