JOÃO CRUZ MALHEIRO (b. 1993, PORTUGAL) CREATES SCULPTURAL OBJECTS FOR ARCHITECTURAL INTERIORS. HIS PRACTICE CENTERS ON PLASTER, DRAWING ON THE TRADITION OF DECORATIVE ARTS, YET MOVING IT AWAY FROM A PURELY ORNAMENTAL FUNCTION, ESTABLISHING IT AS AN ELEMENT WITH AUTONOMY AND A PRESENCE IN SPACE.

HIS PIECES EXIST BETWEEN FUNCTION AND SCULPTURE, NOT AS DECORATIVE OBJECTS, BUT AS ELEMENTS THAT DEFINE INTERIOR ATMOSPHERES. THEY OCCUPY THE SPACE IN A SILENT MANNER, YET WITH A DISTINCTIVE PRESENCE.

EACH PIECE IS HANDCRAFTED, IN SMALL SERIES OR IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, MAINTAINING A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH IT IS PLACED.