Life Is Brutal The Mexico City home of artist Pedro Reyes and fashion designer Carla Fernández is a continually adapting architectural project. Coarse concrete walls divide the sprawling space into discrete sections that, over the years, has evolved to meet both the demands of a working atelier and comfort of a family home. The daunting brutalism of the space is offset by Fernández’s vibrant textiles and Reyes’ sculptural work. A larger than life-sized sculpture of Vladimir Lenin’s head lies in repose, a wooden ‘hand chair’ with articulating fingers sits in the corner, and shovels cast from melted down weapons hang on a wall. Moving from the man-made to the natural, the master bathroom resembles an ancient geological site with its carved volcanic stone basin and roughly-hewn rockpool bathtub. Around the home light-wells of brilliant yellow interrupts the grey of the concrete, while large cacti and palms beckon a sense of the outdoors. Their Coyoacán home is more than just a living space but a reflection of their commitment to working with the community. Most of the cement work was completed in-house by local craftspeople and the workshop is continually awash with neighbourhood artisans working on Reyes’ new sculptural projects. Reyes’s opus extends far beyond material arts and sculptures - most notably his People’s United Nations (stylised as “pUN”) invited 193 volunteers to find resolutions to geopolitical conflicts using psychology and theatre. Meanwhile, Fernández’s eponymous fashion label works alongside indigenous communities in order to promote traditional weaving techniques and patterns to global audiences. #neonurchin #neonurchinblog #dedicatedtothethingswelove #suzyurchin #ollyurchin #art #music #photography #fashion #film #design #words #pictures #coyoacán #mexicocity #architecture #brutalist #textiles #sculpture #rockpoolbathtub #liveworkspace #localcraftspeople #indigenouscommunities #tradition #workshop #artisans #pUN #home #pedroreyes #carlafernández (at Mexico City, Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CenjRXNoOdj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Life Is Brutal “It’s a social space. We are always welcoming guests or hosting the artisans on our teams. It’s a little like living in a factory - but also a playground, too.” - Pedro Reyes, Artist. A house made of concrete may seem an odd choice for a family of four. But for Pedro Reyes, Carla Fernández and their two young children, there are few spaces sweeter than their sprawling Brutalist abode. More than just a living space, the house serves as creative headquarters for both Pedro, a renowned sculptor, and Carla, a fashion designer whose cutting-edge garments have found an eager audience worldwide. For the couple, who share a fierce passion for the preservation of Mexican culture, it’s also the physical embodiment of a long-standing mission to draw attention to the country’s vibrant artistic history and traditions. Strategically placed hits of lemon yellow and magenta are a tribute to Mexican architect Luis Barragán and a number of the walls are built of cement bricks handmade in-house by community craftsmen. It’s also something of an exhibition space, housing a diverse collection of Pedro’s furniture and sculptural work, Carla’s textiles and a vast array of books. On top of it all, however, the home is a gathering place, host to a revolving door of visiting friends, family and local artists, many of whom take up temporary residence while working with the couple on their many collaborative endeavours. #neonurchin #neonurchinblog #dedicatedtothethingswelove #suzyurchin #ollyurchin #art #music #photography #fashion #film #design #words #pictures #coyoacán #mexicocity #architecture #brutalist #textiles #sculpture #rockpoolbathtub #liveworkspace #localcraftspeople #indigenouscommunities #tradition #workshop #artisans #pUN #home #pedroreyes #carlafernández (at Mexico City, Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ceni_xJI_Uy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=