MERCEDES PLAZOLA

madre patria

Mercedes Plazola is a Venezuelan designer based in London, whose practice celebrates her Latin American heritage through textiles, weaving and furniture making. She focuses on exploring the impact of traditional craft on contemporary contexts, with pieces that reflect both personal and collective stories of belonging, loss and transformation. Plazola works exclusively with found and researched materials, making a conscious effort to advocate for responsibility and transparency.

Thousands of jute bags from coffee production are discarded daily, adding 200,000 tonnes to UK landfill waste. This project challenges unsustainable textile waste practices, promoting the repurposing of by-products in furniture design. By reimagining these bags, it explores the creation of sustainable materials through traditional craft methods. The design also serves as a platform to address cultural resistance, identity, belonging, and ethnic diaspora, with the act of weaving discarded materials symbolizing belonging.