Portuguese American Journal

Ana Mestre at the Museum of Modern Art – New York

The New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has established a business partnership with Portugal based Corque Design, a producer of cork products and accessories owned by renowned industrial designer Ana Mestre, the 33 year old Corque Design’s founder and manager.

Corque Design’s creations, conceived and created by Ana Mestre for innovation and sustainability, are on display this week, on a colective group exibit of 30 Portuguese furniture designers, at the New York Design Week held at the NoHo Design District in Manhattan.

Corque Design, founded in 2009, specializes in reseach and developement of cork based products for practical applications such as furniture, accessories and crafts.

Last year, MoMA bought  a line of more than 100 products made in Portugal, including tableware and serving pieces for its collection “Destination: Portugal”  to be sold at the museum gift store.

Although the main use for cork is for bottle stoppers, cork serves many purposes and uses such as for shoe wear, insulation, furniture, crafts and clothing.

In October 2009, 26 years old Portuguese architect David Mares, a native of Setúbal, was the People’s Prize Winner at the Global Design Competition promoted by the New York Guggenheim Museum. Mares designed a cork block shelter conceived as a space for the habitation of one person only.

Portugal is the world’s main cork producer and exporter accounting for around 70 percent of the cork world trade. Nearly one-third of the total world’s oak area, estimated at 5.3 million acres, is in Portugal.  The cork industry in Portugal represents about 16% of total foreign revenue and employs about 20,000 people.

Cork in Portugal

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVmQ4uaXfu4&feature=related[/youtube]

On cork: interview with Amorim

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN57Z03Jh-c&feature=related[/youtube]

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