Two designers and two artists from Brazil have come together to celebrate the fusion of the beautiful and the useful. The result is Beautility – a special exhibition taking place at the Brazilian Embassy during the London Design Festival. Jader Almeida, Gisela Bentes Simas, Luiz Aquila and Julia Miranda are united by their desire to create works that propose a purpose for art that transcends beauty, and a significance for utilitarian pieces that sustain lifetimes of pleasure. Each object raises curiosity about the role of design in our daily lives.

The paintings – abstract and semi figurative – invite contemplation. All the pieces share a search for harmony and balance through the love of simple materials, craftsmanship and expression. From the iconic pieces by Jader Almeida, including the Mia Chair for SOLLOS, winner of the Red Dot design Award 2017, to the vibrant paintings of brazilian master Luiz Aquila – at the forefront of Brazilian contemporary art for 50 years – the exhibition also introduces the West End public to the narrative works of the Anglo-Brazilian artist Julia Miranda, hung alongside innovative, covetable furniture and lighting by Gisela Bentes Simas, founder of OPD (Original Practical Design).

Last but not least, the Opening event on Friday September 15th will feature a sound-scape created by the Anglo Brazilian singer Nina Miranda, who originally conceived of this collective. With elements taken from her new album, the soundtrack will add sound to the senses of sight and touch brought alive by Beautility, and complete an immersive experience. The London Design Festival has earned the reputation as one of the most exciting design events in the world.

Staged every year in September, the Festival aims to celebrate and promote a broad spectrum of design disciplines across cultural and commercial platforms in London. The Festival provides the punctuation moment in the calendar when the design community comes alive, attracting local and international audiences to over 500 events and installations in the capital.

Design: SOLLOS