Amano is a Contemporary Spanish Crafts consultancy.

Amano is a Contemporary Spanish Crafts consultancy created in 2012. Macarena Navarro-Reverter

Macarena Navarro - Reverter

After lengthy research and field work and travelling thousands of kilometres around the entire country, we have a plethora of information and an extensive database of craftspeople, designers, materials, manufacturers, organisations, sales platforms and much more.

My activity in the sector means that I am regularly informed about the latest activities and in direct contact with the movers and shakers.

Amano’s goal is to foster, showcase and communicate the quality of Spain’s crafts and to disseminate them nationally and internationally through publications, exhibitions, workshops and webinars.

I develop consultancy projects for craftspeople, designers, organisations (both public and private) and brands that share the artisan spirit in all its facets.

 

Created and managed by Macarena Navarro-Reverter, a historian and journalist.

 

The essence of luxury can be found in handmade objects.

Several years ago, in the midst of the economic crisis, I posed myself the challenge of contributing to disseminating Spain’s best crafts. These crafts are a far cry from clichés and instead inspire the top designers. They harbour the wisdom of diverse civilisations and awaken memories and emotions. After lengthy investigation and travelling hundreds of kilometres, I came to understand the importance of preserving these crafts, of carving out a place of honour for craftspeople within the universe of design, given that the essence of luxury can be found in handmade objects.

Artisans, designers, small and medium-sized enterprises—some of them created recently, others centuries-old—share the same mission of conserving tradition without sacrificing the avant-garde.

The commitment to quality of handcraftsmanship

The combination of the design, functionality and beauty of the objects that are part of our cultural heritage goes far beyond a mere contrast with the fine arts. The commitment to quality in handcraftsmanship, care in the choice and treatment of the materials and their subsequent inevitable presence in the day-to-day lives of several generations make Spain’s crafts an essential part of the identity we share.

Recognising, valuing and protecting the traditional trades

Recognising, valuing and protecting the traditional trades is essential to ensure that the knowledge and dedication needed to perform them survive from generation to generation.

We should all celebrate the artistic richness of these objects as symbols of our best tradition: from private consumers to the major luxury brands that outsource some of their items to these small ateliers.

Spain has experienced a resurgence in crafts in recent years.

Spain has experienced a resurgence in crafts in recent years. While until quite recently crafts were identified with souvenirs, handicrafts and hippie markets, today the concept of craft is in fashion. This is positive on the one hand, yet dangerous on the other. Not everything qualifies as craft. Not all crafts are high quality just because they are handmade…

These days there’s lots of talk about crafts: fine crafts, contemporary crafts, artistic crafts…

This is all well and good; it’s a matter of nuances and perspectives. However, what is clear is that updates are always positive as long as we don’t lose sight of the origin, of the traditional trades, of the masters who still carry on ancient techniques.

My focus is on collaborations that merge past and present, that combine new designs with traditional trades. Yet I also believe it is essential to value and respect traditional designs, as they are icons in themselves.