Usos is a furniture design and production company from Jujuy, Argentina, founded in 1999 by Carlos Gronda and Arturo de Tezanos Pinto, both from Jujuy. They have been working since then in search of the true identity of these people in order to show it to the rest of the world.
The people from Jujuy, their beliefs and their art has traced a strong leading line which can still be found in this magical landmark.
The only tools that craftsmen used at that time to develop their art were just their own skills in the daily experience of creation, in their cultural roots, very close to their land. These first steps are the result of a conscious knowledge of materials, forms and shapes through Nature observation and the skills to transfer it to their design creation.
All this gave rise to the first utensils which were used in the area, which covers from the San Francisco cultural traditions located in the rainforest area to the Aymaras and Incas in the Puna (Plateau).
Nowadays we can admire a wide variety of objects that have been able to withstand time, namely cloths, pots, weapons.
A long time ago during the Spanish conquest those usages –usos- were modified and some of them forgotten. The European traditions were too different to the local ones, they were the result of a more advanced society in daily comfort issues, obviously unknown at that time in America.
But this “contamination” did not take place in Jujuy.
This research shows the added value of the Usos products, being all of them a result of a constant search for the simple, the roots, the original Usos from Jujuy.
Usos is the result of a permanent research. An effort in order to understand which is the true Northern Culture of Argentina and its meaning, not just an object, a ritual, a typical meal, a landscape a religion or a type of music; its people, their origins, what they represent and the result of their own history.
Usos, being aware of this, wants to show some of the characteristics of this province, full of magic, of creative hands and dreaming minds.
Usos is working together with the local craftsmen using the same processes and materials as their ancestors did, searching for the true genuine gestures in every detail, in every colour.
For the production processes, they have put together the ancient techniques related to materials and a contemporary design, being thus possible to develop a production of unique pieces.
Usos works with local woods. Carob trees, cedar, walnut trees, “lanza”, thistle, cebil, “quina”, lapacho, etc. Jujuy woodlands have an exquisite variety of native trees. In this project, Usos is aware of environmental issues, that is why when a tree is cut down it is replaced by planting ten of its kind.
Usos leather products are made following the ancient artisans way. Typical plaiting is used proposing new pattern designs. The leather work traditional techniques result in incredibly long lasting quality products.
