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Marset Featuring
Vibrations of cozy spaces
Jose Berrio
Surrealistic elements, where color and texture play with each other to create unexpected compositions and shapes. This is how one would describe the work of Colombian graphic designer and illustrator Jose Berrio, based in New York. Through his fascination with music and illustration, Jose has developed an image inspired by both the Djembe’s name and its shape, representing its illumination through vibrations of light and waves of color.
Jose, what concept did you want to raise in this illustration?
JBTaking into account that the name of the Djembé is also the name of an African percussion instrument, I wanted to do something that evokes movement and music through light. Djembé as an instrument has always meant a meeting point, so I wanted to translate this idea in a visual way to the context of the lamp.
What was your inspiration for this illustration, did you have any kind of reference in mind?
JBRecently, I have been experimenting with gradients of multiple colors to create more interesting compositions. There are some artists who manage to do this in a very inspiring way and who have influenced me in that pursuit. However, for this particular illustration I used as a reference the cover of "Alternating Currents" by Frederick Pohl, a science-fiction book published by Penguin in 1966.
What does Djembé make you think of and in what way are you bringing it to a specific scenario?
JBDjembé is a lamp that makes me think of vibrations that create cozy spaces. For the illustration I wanted to represent this, leaving the rest of the elements in the background, outside the spotlight and with much darker shades.
Is there any characteristic of Djembé that stands out to you the most?
JBI have such a close relationship with music and the horizontal shape of Djembé made me think of some percussion instruments. Also, I was struck by the sinuous figure of the cable from which it hangs.
Working with light is essential for any artist, how has light played a role in your collaboration with Marset?
JBPortraying light became an opportunity to use a different color palette and experiment with both the concept of light and dark. It allowed me to look for a vibrant contrast between the lighting and its dark surroundings.
