Canoa Lab’s ‘Museum-Quality’ Ceramics Evoke Life on the Mediterranean, From Ancient Greece to Modern-Day Valencia
Words by Olivia Lidbury
Photography by Laura Leal
There are ceramics, and then there are Canoa Lab ceramics.
The age-old production techniques used to bring their lyrical pitchers and vessels to life belie their present-day roots. Expert Lauren Liess says they have a ‘museum-like quality’, while Colin King reveres their unique silhouettes (incidentally, he also believes that a person’s taste in ceramics reveals a lot about their personality).
Based in Valencia, Spain, designers Raquel Vidal and Pedro Paz are the creatively curious forces behind Canoa Lab. Partners in both work and life, they are galvanized through the daily acts of observing, experimenting, sketching, and constructing. They don’t have to look far for materials or inspiration: many pieces are composed of stoneware from a nearby municipality, while relics from the Mediterranean basin provide a sensitive starting point for their endeavors.
Photography courtesy of Canoa Lab
How Canoa Lab was born
Pedro: We both come from the world of fine arts, working in graphic design and art direction for brands, primarily focused on audiovisual installations with a poetic leaning. In 2016, we began working with metal and clay alongside local artisans and realized we had to start a project where we could produce our own objects born from the same imaginative vision we had been exploring in other fields.
What differentiates our products from the rest
Raquel: We believe it’s a combination of several factors. Our finishes are very unique; we use highly complex, self-formulated glazes that give the pieces a raw quality, which, when combined with the delicate lines of our pieces, create a beautiful balance. Additionally, our products have a strong historical character—we revive the formal schemes of ancient vessels to reimagine them with a contemporary vision.
Photography courtesy of Canoa Lab
What we’re most proud of
Pedro: In our workshop, we use various methods depending on the nature of the piece, including press molding, coil technique, wheel throwing, slab building, wax modeling, and glazing. We take pride in all of these techniques. However, something that particularly excites us is every time we achieve a new glaze.
The unusual places where we seek inspiration
Raquel: We find inspiration in what is closest to us. A simple walk to the archaeological museum, the rocks on the beach in the village where we spend our weekends, even our own workshop... During the construction and glazing processes, we find that every transformation the materials undergo can lead to new ideas.
Photography by Michael Clifford; Styling by Rosy Fridman; Florals by Abby St. Claire
The style or architectural era that inspires us the most
Pedro: Brutalist architecture: we are drawn to minimalist constructions that showcase bare materials and structural elements, such as exposed concrete or brick, without cladding or paint, and angular, geometric forms. Although it may seem distant from our objects, we share an interest in revealing the raw side of a process. Just like with this type of architecture, we aim for our pieces to reveal the basic nature of materials.
The colors and materials we’re loving right now
Raquel: We are deeply exploring green tones, which, when applied to materials like porcelain or red clay, are yielding very interesting results.
Photography by Michael Clifford; Styling by Rosy Fridman; Florals by Abby St. Claire
What constitutes an excellent ceramic vessel
Pedro: There must be a good balance between three elements: an attractive shape, a high-quality glaze, and rich textures.
The heirloom we’d pass down from one generation to the next
Raquel: We don't have a specific one—each piece follows its unique path, much like objects throughout history. However, we would pass down our glaze book: that’s a highly valuable heirloom for us.
Our idea of ultimate luxury
Pedro: It’s incredible what humans can conceive with their minds and turn into objects through their hands. Such skills are endangered and with fewer and fewer things in the world being produced this way, surrounding yourself with handmade objects is the ultimate luxury.
The product we dream of designing
Raquel: We are making our dreams a reality and are currently working on adding side tables and wall objects to our collection.
The place in the world that represents our brand
Pedro: Without a doubt, the Mediterranean region.