Charlotte von Hardenburgh

Antonio Salvador Orodea’s unglazed work, especially the architectonic vessels done for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, reflect the best of Spanish design of the Modern period, most of which is largely unknown in the United States, but ripe for exploration.

La Artista—Antonio Salvador Orodea 

Antonio Salvador Orodea was born in Jerez de los Caballeros in 1934 to a family of ceramic artists. His grandfather, José Orodea Varea, managed the mold workshop of the Valdemorillo earthenware factory, towards the beginning of the twentieth century. Then in 1912, José founded his own factory in the same town of Valdemorillo and employed Antonio’s father, Juan. The company—Falcó—was later taken over by Antonio and became known as the prestigious ASO factory which focused on industrial and artistic stoneware. 

As a young student, Antonio attended high school in El Escorial and later studied Chemistry at the University of Madrid. Antonio cultivated a design dialogue with his European contemporaries and his exposure was based on direct experience; he spent time studying ceramic arts in the German ceramic center of Selb, then in France and Belgium. 

Antonio’s work melded industrial production methods with craft nuance in a manner akin to the work of Italian design firm Danese. In a 1973 newspaper interview he stated, “Mi intento es que en mis obras se integren la inspiración artística, la experiencia artesana y la concepción del diseño industrial.” (“My intent is that, in my works, artistic inspiration, artisan experience, and the conception of industrial design should be integrated.”) 

In the mid 1960s, Antonio—at the age of 30—received an esteemed commission to create a suite of ceramics for the Spanish Pavilion of the 1964 World’s Fair hosted in New York City. The ceramics complemented the Modernist pavilion that was designed by acclaimed Spanish architect, Javier Carvajal. 

Antonio’s work continued beyond the 1964/65 World’s Fair with Evolution 66—a Spanish “Good Design” exhibition in Madrid in 1966—with murals for the Algerian Pavilion at Expo ’70 in Osaka, Japan, and with a gold medal at the International Handicraft Fair in Munich in 1971.  These and other efforts propelled Antonio beyond his local market onto a national and international stage—one of very few Spanish designers of his time to do so.

The unglazed ceramic pieces in CERÁMICA ‘64 represent Antonio’s belief that, “the expressiveness of ceramics is sustained mainly in communication of the forms, not in an excess of decoration.”

La Galería y La Procedencia

Salvador’s textured vessels are from the collection of George Harvey. His Queens-based company, Display Studios, fabricated exhibition displays for clients such as IBM, Michelin, Barneys New York, and Carvajal's Spanish Pavilion at the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair.

Harvey saw a larger opportunity in the project, teaming with pavilion executive director Manuel Ortuno to form a company, Hintrade USA, to import and market a range of Spanish products after the fair—including the Salavdor’s ceramics.

Weinberg Modern acquired the present collection at George Harvey’s estate sale, including the original shipping label from when the ceramics were sent to New York from Madrid in 1964.

La Feria Mundial y El Pabellón de España

The Spanish Pavilion for 1964-1965 New York World's Fair by architect Javier Carvajal, received praises from media critics and the press—described as ”The Jewel of the Fair” by Life magazine and “a luminous star” according to The New York Times. The modernist structure was awarded with gold medal of the Fair and a distinction of the American Institute of Architects.

Antonio Salvador Orodea’s architectonic vessels were made to complement Carvajal’s modernist pavilion. The ribbed rings and round shape of the ceramic planters provided a counterpoint to the pavilion’s dominant grid pattern. Other ceramics featured in the space have a rectangular prism shape which mimicked the aluminum lighting fixtures and wood blocks of the pavilion’s ceiling.

Las Obras

For inquiries about dimensions, pricing, or availability, please contact:
Charlotte von Hardenburgh
CVH@WEINBERGMODERN.COM