Xavier Manosa

Only five years ago Xavier Mañosa set up Apparatu and in such a short space of time he has managed to position himself as one of the most interesting potters of the moment. At that time he was installed in Berlin. Perhaps gaining perspective served him to end up dedicating himself to what he had seen his parents do since he was a child and which he had rejected out of rebellion during his training as an industrial designer. What was interesting in his case was the combination of both factors. His perspective and desire to experience as a designer plus the knowledge of the trade from the family environment. Until 2009, Mañosa had its creative base in Berlin and from there it returned to the family workshop in Barcelona, in an old industrial estate where ceramics were previously manufactured for the construction sector and which now functions as an antiques centre, so the environment was most inspiring. What distinguishes Mañosa as a contemporary potter is fundamentally his daring when it comes to mixing materials and exploring new formal expressions. Another issue that Xavier Mañosa tackles from the beginning, which is an evident manifestation of his training as a designer and of his belonging to a digital generation, is the staging of his work. On the one hand, it is defined as a brand. On the other hand, it gives visibility to his work through a website and his participation in innumerable events inside and outside of Spain. Apparatu's pieces have been seen at contemporary design fairs and festivals in London, Frankfurt, Saint-Étienne, Tokyo, New York, Mexico and Stockholm. Also in Madrid and Barcelona. www.apparatu.com