John Graz

About

John Graz entered the course in architecture, decoration and design at the Geneva School of Fine Arts in 1910. Graz has twice received the Lissignol Scholarship and part for studies in Spain. Engaged, he came to Brazil in 1920 and married in São Paulo. Through Oswald de Andrade, the couple becomes part of the city's intellectual life. Graz participated in the 1922 Modern Art Week, exhibiting seven canvases. In the same year, he had one of his works published in Klaxon magazine, in its 7th edition.

From 1923 onwards, he carried out home decoration projects: creating countless stained glass windows and designing furniture and pieces such as doors, locks, lamps, rugs and frescoes. He is considered, with Regina and Antonio Gomide, one of the introducers of the art deco style in São Paulo. He worked with Gregori Warchavchik, a newcomer to the country, decorating the houses designed by the Russian architect. In 1925, Graz presented tubular furniture in São Paulo, made of metallic pipes and laminated wood, with geometric shapes. Endowed with great technical and manufacturing knowledge, he personally monitors the production of the pieces at the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios, where he has the collaboration of Federico Oppido. He is innovative in room decoration. When designing the furniture, he foresees its distribution in space and its relationship with panels, stained glass and frescoes. The integration of elements is a characteristic of the houses decorated by Graz: the same proposal extends from painted panels to furniture, objects and lighting.

However, the incipient Brazilian industry made it impossible to transform prototypes authored by John Graz into tools produced on a large scale.