IN FOCUS
Tania Álvarez Zaldívar is a graphic designer and typographer from Mexico City known for her multidisciplinary approach, blending various fields of design and the arts. With a strong background that spans electronic arts, industrial design, and applied arts, her work is defined by an ongoing exploration of how different media can come together to create innovative visual solutions.
Tania founded her independent practice, working on a diverse range of visual communication projects across fields such as art, architecture, culture, design, and hospitality. Her approach is distinguished by the creation of coherent visual systems that aim to spark reflection on contemporary contexts.
Tania focuses on creating tools that, in turn, generate artworks. Her approach revolves around developing algorithms and processes, exploring dynamics such as the use of audio sensors or programming. An example of this is CLIFFS, a series Tania developed during a workshop where she created an algorithm in Processing. Using audio sensors, the algorithm responded to the highest and lowest frequencies of the audio, generating vast landscapes. Tania would then zoom in on a portion of the landscape and enlarge sections that caught her interest. The audio she used for this project was a remix of mixed operatic pieces.
In collaboration with PECA Studio, Tania Álvarez Zaldívar’s ability to merge the technical with the artistic is embodied in the PÁRAMO tiles series, where she conceived the tiles through a parametric design that plays with mathematical variations, resulting in one-of-a-kind pieces. Fabricated and released in its first material iteration in 2023 using Oaxacan black and red clay. The execution of this design was carried out by Amando Pedro, a master artisan of black clay from Oaxaca, who, from San Bartolo Coyotepec, brought Tania’s vision to life. The process, involving both earth and fire, leaves a unique imprint on each piece, irreplaceable works where mathematics and traditional craftsmanship come together in perfect harmony.
After collaborating on a branding project for a company specializing in auto bodywork and painting, Tania found inspiration to create her artistic series titled Cromos. This work stems from a graphic concept centered around paint chips—small metal plates used in automotive paint swatches.
Tania drew on a nostalgic color palette, focusing on shades of blue reminiscent of the 1970s and 80s. From this foundation, she designed geometric forms that evolved into three-dimensional volumes, showcasing shapes that reflect her signature organic style. These figures, though abstract, engage with the industrial aesthetic of auto bodywork, transforming a rigid element into a fluid and expressive visual experience.
In Cromos, texture plays an important role. Tania experiments with the surfaces of these volumes, introducing movement that captures the essence of automotive painting while reinterpreting it through her artistic lens.
Throughout her career, Tania has delved into a diverse array of creative fields, each one adding new layers to her evolving visual language. Her work spans from art direction and editorial design to creating engaging exhibitions and designing wayfinding systems that guide people seamlessly through spaces. She has a deep passion for branding and identity, crafting visuals that resonate, and she brings a meticulous eye to advanced typography, typesetting, and product photography.
