Juan Garcia Mosqueda on Chamber

Building on years of experience that transcends commercial and cultural application, Juan Garcia Mosqueda founded Chamber in 2014. The new cabinet of curiosities has quickly become an important New York haven for domestic and international creatives working on the fringes of experimentation. Collaborating with guest curators Studio Job, Andrew Zuckerman and Matylda Krzykowski, Chamber has brought together a community of iconic, established names and rising talents – including Andy and Dave, Astley, Baas, Babin, Bähler, the Bakkers, Boner, Bowie, Bowmann, Britain, Burton, Chen & Williams, Colombo, Crasset, Dixon, Dominik, Formafantasma, Fort Standard, Gamper, Grcic, Nendo, Hendrix, Huissoud, Hutten, Jacobsen, Jansen, Kropholler, Künzel, Makoto, Moser, Os & OOS, Rams, Soft Baroque, Stell, Studiopepe, Thévoz-Choquet, Van Striens, Van der Kooij and Wubben – all of whom continue to define the direction of narrative-based design. TLmag spoke to Mosqueda about the gallery, New York and one noteworthy piece.

TLmag: What is the vision behind Chamber?

Juan Garcia Mosqueda: Chamber was created as an unconventional commercial gallery space to showcase contemporary designed objects in New York. We have a dynamic exhibition program in place that focuses on organizing both solo and group shows. Most of the designers, architects, curators and manufacturers we work with are interested in expanding the pre-conceived notions of what design is and can be through materiality, concepts and production processes. Avoiding trendiness, we consider the bigger picture. Our interest in incorporating objects from all disciplines, times and locations under one roof helps to further the conversation about today’s material culture.

TLmag: Why New York? What do collectors in this city look for?

J.G.M.: New York, like London, is one of the best places to spread an idea. The global audience walking this city’s streets is unquestionably its biggest asset. We have a constant flow of interesting people from all over the world coming to visit the space every week, which has inevitably increased our visibility and that of our designers. Our collectors look for a good story or a meaningful concept that speaks to them. Whether it’s a fascinating kinetic, interactive work or an expressive, iconographic cast bronze piece, it needs to somehow resonate with their lives. We want them to tell those stories to their friends to expand the reach of the field. We are seeing a new wave of young, highly educated art collectors intrigued by collectable design.

TLmag: What is the most significant object in the Chamber collection for you? 

J.G.M.: Alessandro Mendini’s Camino, a vase from Collection 1 [curated by Studio Job], allowed me to get to know one of my design heroes. When I look at our objects, I look to the people who created them. For me, this world is about building human relationships. Building one with il maestro was a rewarding experience.

Chamber: 515 West 23rd Street, New York