Today we’d like to introduce you to Itamar Lilienthal.
Itamar, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always been interested in what role art can play in helping us solve our current environmental crisis. I’m originally from Mexico City and have been making art since I could walk. When I first began my journey as an artist, I was more interested in making art that talked about our current environmental conundrums.
However, as I’ve progressed my practice has evolved to be more focused on the specific materials I use and the carbon footprint they have. These days I focus my energy on working and developing new materials that myself and other artists can use to make our practice more sustainable.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road is as smooth as you pave it. However the smooth is it the less opportunities there generally are. I like bumpy roads. For me, it’s a sign that I’m trekking on new ground. For me, my current biggest struggle has been figuring out all the logistics of running an operation in Tijuana. Being cross-border by nature there are many legalities you have to deal with that those only operating in one country don’t have to. However, this is what makes it exciting.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Casa Tamarindo story. Tell us more about the business.
Casa Tamarindo is a binational design house that explores how design can be used to encourage more cross-border collaboration and create an environmentally healthy culture.
We have worked in a variety of mediums including; movies, set design, furniture, and interior design. For all our projects we focus on having the lowest-carbon footprint and creating processes that protect our local environment and its biodiversity. Currently, our main focus is around the topic of handcrafts (artesanias).
Unlike other parts of Mexico, Tijuana is a relatively young city with a still-developing cultural language. We are very interested in the role that handcrafts have played in different societies all around the world. They function not only a source of income for the artisans that make them but also as a visual identity for that bioregion and the people that live there.
Aside from food, handcrafts are one of the biggest representations of society and their unique values. For generations, handcrafts have been made from the readily available materials in the artisan’s bioregion.
In the 21st century and in a metropolitan city like Tijuana that material is a human-created waste (plastics, tires, cans, etc.). We work with local artisans to gather that waste and explore how we can utilize it to make handcrafts that uniquely represent our local culture and values.
Our hope is that through the making of these handcrafts we will fulfill the following goals:
1. Help create a vibrant visual cultural language
2. Help get waste out of our local environment
3. Provide jobs to artisans in historically impoverished and marginalized communities.
What sets us apart from others is that we are creating a completely new style of handcrafts that are uniquely from here. We bring people that would have never had a chance to meet to collaborate. If it wasn’t for Tijuana and its rich history of welcoming people from all around the world, this wouldn’t be possible,
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck is what cards we are dealt with. Experience is what we do with them. I think it is all relative. These days I just go for it and learn along the way. I have failed many times and will probably continue to do so. When I feel inspired and reminded of why I am doing this, I can have all the bad luck in the world and still keep going.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tamarindo.house
- Email: hola@tamarindo.house
- Instagram: casa_tamarindo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamarindo.casa
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