Filipino homeware brand Casa Juan recently came out with their new dining and homeware collection, Casa Juan x Sansó. A collaboration between Galerie Joaquin and Fundacion Sansó, this collection translates select artworks from the late Juvenal Sansó onto functional pieces like serving trays, plates, coasters, and jewelry boxes.
Casa Juan previously released a collection of 200 Sansó trays, which reportedly sold out so fast that “we were not even able to post it on Insta, on social media, and our socials,” according to founder Michelle Fontelera. They also released a Dominic Rubio collection in collaboration with Galerie Joaquin.
With this new, larger collection, she hopes to pay tribute to an important pillar of Filipino art.
“It’s our biggest launch to date because, of course, it’s Sansó,” she said. “And he’s a legend when it comes to art. Galerie Joaquin and I, [we’ve] known each other for quite some time, we just talked about it and then we said, ‘let’s do, let’s do something for Sanso.’ Of course, it’s also an homage and tribute to him, [because] he passed away this year, in February.”
The paintings for Casa Juan x Sansó were personally chosen by Fontelera from the private collection of Fundacion Sansó. Paintings by Sansó in the collection include “A Cerulean Daydream,” “Endearing Charm,” “Of Profound Joy,” and other paintings by the modernist.
“Sansó is already an institution when it comes to Filipino art, even if he’s Spanish,” she said. “Personally, I like his work, and I’ve always wanted to own a Sansó painting. […] That’s why I collaborated with Galerie Joaquin, because the items that we have now, it’s the closest to a Sansó that I can get.”
Her curatorial choices reflect a deliberate blend of her personal taste and her understanding of the consumer’s desire for “happy art”—pieces that evoke warmth. She acknowledges Sansó’s “darker period,” but intentionally selected uplifting works for this collection so that they spark joy wherever they are used.
“Some people, they like abstract [art]; for some people they like dark paintings,” she said. “But a lot of people buy art because it makes them happy. [The] essence of buying something [is] it makes you happy; clothes that make you happy, art that makes you happy.”
“We chose these artworks because for me it sparks joy,” she continued. “It makes me happy. Colors, gusto ko ang beautiful seascapes. Basically, it sparks joy with life to the table, to the room.”
Fontelera sees this collection as an avenue for people to appreciate more of Juvenal Sansó’s art. While the artworks are grandiose and colorful, she also saw an opportunity to integrate fine art into the fabric of daily life. The sturdy construction of the material, she said, was to ensure that it could be used instead of being displayed.
“Diba, normally the plates are on a shelf and naka-plate stand?” she posited. “That’s not what we want. We want it to be useful art, so to speak. For daily [use], for when you have lunch or high tea with your friends. When you have dinner with your family, it’s something that you see, that you use, not just something that you look at.”
A second collaboration with Galerie Joaquin is already in development. While the team remains reserved about the specifics, they hinted that the new collection will be ‘whimsical.’
The limited edition Casa Juan x Sansó collection is currently available for purchase on their website.
Photos by Elle Yap.
Related reading: A Tapestry of Filipino Life: A Collection of Home Pieces Featuring Dominic Rubio
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