SISAL SANCTUM

September 2018: Sisal Sanctum, an installation commissioned by citizenM. Located at the entrance to citizenM Shoreditch, the work shines a light on sisal and the people that are sustained by its production.

Sisal Sanctum creates a sensorial and tactile landscape using raw sisal, a natural fibre harvested from a species of Agave cactus found in the South of Mexico. The space consists of two cosy lounge areas featuring different textures, fur-like sisal walls and carpets. Its intent is to provide a shelter from the urban landscape of East London, where visitors can relax in comfort.

Aside from being immersed in this fibrous textured landscape, visitors are protected by a colossal hairy guardian. The sisal guardian stands at the front of the installation inviting curious passers-by to enjoy the Sanctum.Fernando Laposse is a passionate believer in helping local communities, using sustainable materials and rare techniques to create designs that are charged with significance. Once one of the biggest industries in Mexico, sisal represented the main source of employment for the Mayan communities of the Yucatan peninsula but, with the invention of nylon, its production dramatically decreased leaving entire communities unemployed. Fernando looks at this material, adopting the ancient ways of harvesting and manufacturing to shed light on thesmall producers as well as a natural and biodegradable material.