Encuentros is a limited edition bar set commissioned by the premium tequila Maestro Dobel as part of the campaign Creating Brilliance, curated this year by Revolution of Forms. Creating Brilliance hosts collaborations with breakthrough designers to create homeware that explores Mexican craftsmanship and elevates the tequila drinking experience.
Ovalle’s Encuentros reimagines the art of cocktail making with a jigger, cocktail jug, and stirrer. The name Encuentros means encounters: an encounter of materials, traditions, and techniques. By experimenting with the tactility of glass and marble, the set reflects the transformative process Maestro DOBEL uses to turn agave into their cristalino and smoked tequilas. For each of the pieces, Revolution of Forms and Ovalle worked closely with specialist artisans dedicated to developing traditional Mexican crafts
The handblown glass mixing jar incorporates smoky, black gradients – referencing the hot ovens used to bake the agave hearts. The organic imperfections and flow of the black colouration could only be obtained by the expert artistry Diego Vides Borrell. Borrell, a local contemporary glass artist based in Oaxaca, is dedicated to progressing the Mexican glass movement through pieces that combine functionality and high-end design.
Inspired by monolithic sculpting, the jigger is made from Negro del Sur marble found in Guerrero and Chiapas. Hand-carved by an artisan family of eight brothers under the design company And Jacob, this innovative jigger conceals in each end two cavities for measuring single and double shots.
Finally, the set is completed by the glass stirrer crowned with a silver tip. The design was inspired by the ‘coa’, a special hoe used by a jimador to strip the leaves from the agave and reveal the heart, or piña.
Assuming the role of the alchemist, concocting a contemporary twist on a traditional cocktail, Ovalle’s set encourages us to lean into Mexican drinking rituals of crafting, mixing, and sharing through artistry and experimentation.
The set Encuentros can be purchased at Harvey Nichols.