Photo: Breno Da Matta - Pingo Mattar and Silvia Figueiredo, Founders of Pingo Studios
With the aim of transforming everyday objects into interactive art pieces, Pingo! Studios was born during one of the most challenging times of our era: the pandemic. Isolation deepened the founders, Pingo and Silvia's, relationship with the home environment, sparking a vision of how the home can reflect well-being, art, and creativity. With an approach that blends humor and art, they offer a new experience for homes, bringing in objects that not only decorate but also invite reflection and emotional connection.
Pingo! Studios defines itself as a "creativity laboratory," a space where ideas flow spontaneously and the creative process involves collaboration, experimentation, and a careful eye for every detail. Pingo and Silvia designed the studio as a creative haven within São Paulo, where the team and partner brands come together in a constant exchange of ideas, creating pieces that are not only versatile but also provide moments of pause and contemplation.
With a manifesto that celebrates the everyday and transforms it into something unique, the brand believes that the home is an extension of ourselves and that art exists in the small details. Pingo! Studios’ products, such as the iconic “Pingos”—small, multifunctional porcelain dishes—embody this philosophy. These pieces can be used in various ways, according to each person's creativity and needs. Whether as jewelry holders, decorative items, coasters, or even ashtrays, the Pingos offer a personal and unique expression, adaptable to any purpose.
One of the brand's first collections, inspired by mushroom designs, carries deep significance for Pingo and Silvia. Mushrooms, featured in almost 80% of the products, symbolize renewal, movement, and the natural cycle of life, evoking a connection to ancestry and nature. For Pingo, the life cycle of mushrooms—which includes decomposition and renewal—is a powerful symbol of personal transformation and growth. This collection stands out not only for its aesthetics but also for the symbolic weight it carries, serving as a constant reminder of our relationship with the environment and with existence itself.
In the founders' view, incorporating humor into each piece brings lightness to the home, while art awakens emotions and adds a special touch to the space. Pingo and Silvia believe that objects with an artistic purpose can be transformative, breaking the routine and bringing beauty into daily life. Rather than limiting these moments to special occasions, they encourage people to appreciate beauty in the small things, like setting a table with a special touch for breakfast or lighting a candle to relax at the end of the day.
Exclusive interview with the brand's founders:
1. How was the process of creating the brand during such an intense time as the pandemic? What inspired you to develop objects that bring humor and art into homes?
Pingo: Spending so much time at home led me to develop new hobbies, with art being one of them. I started studying fine arts, and gradually, my interest in this world grew. My aesthetic sensitivity deepened profoundly. The pandemic was a period of self-discovery and expression for me, both internally and externally; the environment gained new meaning, and my home became a temple, a sacred place. It was a period of fear and uncertainty for everyone, right? My antidote to those unpleasant feelings was finding beauty and joy in the small details of daily life at home; it fueled my hope. Gradually, I began creating my own images of hope. Pingo Studios goes beyond bringing beauty to homes; it also promotes interaction. After all, aesthetics aren’t just about looks—they carry depth. And few things are as profound as human connections filled with laughter and fun that games and humor provide.
Silvia: It took us over a year to arrive at Pingo's "formula" to launch... But it was very natural; things fell into place. The “why” was very clear: you put energy into your home, and it gives back! During the pandemic, keeping the home cozy was essential.
2. You define the studio as a “creativity laboratory.” How does day-to-day life work in this space, and how do ideas turn into interactive and versatile pieces for the public?
Pingo: At Pingo Studios, the environment encourages a constant exchange of ideas, experimentation, and collaboration between the team and partner brands. Ideas flow in a very organic way.
Silvia: Even our physical office space is an oasis within São Paulo, and it greatly helps with this fluidity of ideas.
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3. The brand’s manifesto talks about transforming the ordinary into something unique and unexpected. What role do humor and art play in the design of everyday objects?
Pingo: By incorporating humor, each piece gains a sense of lightness and invites relaxation, while art adds an aesthetic dimension that evokes emotions and draws attention to a more sensitive perspective. Once we feel these sensations, the goal is for them to overflow from within you to the world. Drop by drop, a glass overflows.
Silvia: Inviting friends over and pulling out that beautiful dinnerware set (that’s been locked away for five years) is wonderful and important. But what about setting a breakfast table for yourself every day? Lighting a candle? Our idea is that your everyday moments deserve the same beauty and attention!
4. The mushroom collection stands out as one of the brand’s main inspirations. How did this idea come about, and what do these elements represent for you in terms of connection with nature and ancestry?
Pingo: Mushrooms are often associated with spiritual growth, enlightenment, and rebirth. Their life cycle, their ability to decompose and recycle, symbolizes the cyclical nature of life, death, and transformation. They serve as a powerful reminder of renewal and the potential for personal evolution. Additionally, Pingo Studios is part of a community of people and brands breaking taboos through awareness.
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5. How do you view the relationship between art and daily life? In what ways do you believe that objects with an artistic purpose can transform people’s routines?
Pingo: Pingo Studios creates objects that not only beautify spaces but also stimulate creativity and promote moments of emotional connection. By integrating art into daily life, people can find small doses of joy constantly. Our trademark, the Pingos (the porcelain dishes), embodies the concept of "your Pingos, your rules." Our clients use the Pingos in various ways: mounted on the wall, as coasters, jewelry holders, decorative pieces, and even as ashtrays in some cases. These pieces are versatile and adapt to each person’s purpose, allowing them to express their creativity and personality.
Silvia: Life is so fast-paced! Sometimes we go weeks on a work/eat/sleep cycle, living on autopilot. The idea is that something simple, like a "simple saucer" at your breakfast, can make you pause and see beauty. It’s about having little points of escape throughout the house that bring you into the "now." Reading a phrase before you leave home that sparks reflection or smelling a scent that feels like a hug when you return from a long day...
6. What are the plans and next steps for the brand’s future? Are there new collections or themes you’re excited to explore?
Pingo: The future plans for Pingo Studios are to keep innovating, staying committed to both aesthetics and functionality, while inviting people to experience art in unexpected ways in their daily lives. We aim to encourage conversations that are as creative as our products in human interactions.
Silvia: We’re really excited about our upcoming 3-year anniversary collection, “if it’s not to overflow, I won’t even drop it”, coming in the first half of next year. It’s a collection with fewer colors, but it’s no less fun. It’s unlike anything we’ve done so far!
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