ANTONIO DA MOTTA is a native of Bahia, Brazil – where he was trained in interior architecture. da Motta studied art history at the University of Pennsylvania, painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and stage design at the Yellow Springs Institute for Contemporary Studies in the Arts (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). In 1992 Antonio relocated to New York City, to establish the da Motta Studio.

In 1993 da Motta launched his first line of furniture at the New York International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). The Guardian Collection was infused with a modernist aesthetic, juxtaposed to organic elements from nature, identifiable not only in the shapes taken by the pieces, but also in the choice of materials. Sustainably harvested woods were carved and shaped by hand. Tribal Kuba cloths were used in upholstery. The result was a poetic group of objects (all named after archangels), evocative of Bahia’s African roots and Brazil’s modern architecture. Antonio’s first collection attained great critical and press acclaim, being widely published, domestically and internationally.

In 1995 the Pietra Dura Collection was introduced, at the ICFF (NYC) and at the Salone del Mobile (Milan, Italy). This time, da Motta resorted to the ancient technique of stone marchetry (a prominent feature of Brazil’s Baroque architecture), to which he incorporated abstract elements, again, taken from nature: zebra, tiger and giraffe patterns coexisted with Sonja Delaunay’s amoeba-like shapes, to create table tops, floor and wall tiles. A series of table tops was commissioned, to adorn the nightstands of the Soho Grand Hotel (NYC). Pietra Dura granted Antonio da Motta an invitation to the 1996 Design Im Wandel Exhibit, at the Ubersee-Museum (Bremen, Germany) and a page in the International Design Yearbook 1996, as well as in the Design Im Wandel Catalog.

Now in Los Angeles, da Motta has created a limited edition of pieces in stainless steel and upholstery, exclusively for Espasso. This collection is available at the Pacific Design Center (West Hollywood, CA) and Espasso’s award winning Tribeca showroom (NYC).

Antonio da Motta’s work has been published in magazines and books in Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, England, Spain and the United States: Casa Claudia; AD; Estilo D; casa Vogue; House Beautiful; Elle Décor; Metropolitan Home; Interior Design Magazine; Harper’s Bazaar; the New York Times; Living Large in Small Spaces; Hamptons Cottages & Gardens. He has been a guest speaker at the South American Conference on Architecture and Design (ABAD, Sao Paulo, Brazil) and at the Federation of Industry (Salvador, Bahia, Brazil). da Motta’s work has also been featured in HGTV’s Small Space Big Style.

Antonio is inspired by Brazil’s strong Baroque and Modern traditions. His work is imbued with a harmonious and eclectic mix of styles and a strong, sophisticated sense of color.