andrés reisinger documents the creation of the cloud-like ‘hortensia’ chair in new short film

the ever-evolving hortensia chair

 

Barcelona-based digital artist Andrés Reisinger showcases his newly completed Hortensia Documentary, a narration of the origin, evolution and materializations of the textural pink chair that is the embodiment of his instantly recognizable aesthetic and credo. Since 2018, Hortensia has been taking new shape with every spring: from digital rendering (2018), to rare design creation (2020), to a popular object (2021), it now presents itself as a documentary; a narration, by Hortensia itself, about the journey of how it came to be.

 

Directed by María Sosa Betancos and produced by Mañana, The Hortensia Documentary is an experimental piece that shares how Hortensia’s different stages have always been based on a dream. Watch the full documentary here.

images courtesy Andrés Reisinger

 

 

a digital dream brought to sensual reality

 

As a 3D visualisation, Andrés Reisinger’s Hortensia was limited by the boundaries of the digital world. The transition into the physical realm came by the hand of Reisinger & Júlia Esqué, who wanted to bring their dream to a sensual reality they could touch and feel. Hortensia innovatively replicates the beauty of nature, whilst giving life to an experience enriched by both realms: digital and physical, a new future overwhelmed with possibilities and creative challenges.

 

 

confronting and narrating time

 

Sosa and Mañana used the opportunity to creatively narrate Hortensia’s project to tackle other profound universal themes, such as confronting the real with the unreal, life and death, the physical and the digital. The documentary in fact became the perfect stage to narrate another key protagonist of Reisinger’s art practice and Hortensia’s adventure: time. Investigating how it differs from the physical to the digital realm, with Hortensia Reisinger has given life to something that lives and can continue to live concurrently in both dimensions’ times.

 

 

At first, a seemingly surreal and oniric 3D rendering; soon after, a viral image on social media. To respond to the public’s desires, Reisinger took upon himself the challenge to make this cloud-like chair a reality. Visibly, the main inspiration behind this project comes from hydrangea flowers: thousands of pale pink petals hide the underlying structure, giving shape to the design.

 

To overcome the challenge of creating this incredibly complex, singular fluffy surface, Reisinger implemented a new production process in collaboration with Jùlia Esqué. Around 500 strips of laser-cut fabric were ruched into clusters and assembled together in order to make the physical Hortensia Chair.