Founded by Lera and Viktor Komskii, CENTÁ is a Lisbon-based multidisciplinary studio renowned for its creative and artistic direction, specialising in food styling, floral design and botanical brand imagery. With a portfolio that includes collaborations with prestigious brands like Loewe, CENTÁ transforms everyday objects and natural elements into extraordinary visual narratives. Their work emphasises the beauty of nature and the importance of creative freedom, making each project a unique journey of artistic exploration.
hube: Your work conjures magical narratives through various elements. What’s the key to your visual wizardry?
Lera Komskii and Viktor Komskii: We have an ongoing partnership with Loewe. It is an absolute blast as the trust and feedback we get are something we could not have dreamt of. We genuinely appreciate the creative freedom we’ve been granted here. We love how Loewe makes nature its main storyteller by using all possible creative twists for visualisation. We are inspired by this idea and do our best to convey it. Have you ever noticed that there are no ‘ugly’ colour combinations in nature? Everything is just perfect – created for people to absorb its beauty. Some types of mushrooms become flowers once they touch water, so why not find a perfect match for it? Exploring outdoors always gives you a chance to come up with the most unexpected frame and composition, playing around with all aspects of the surrounding environment.
h: If we consider food and floral design as art, it seems that it resembles theatre, dance, or even performance. It encompasses the feeling of the moment, improvisation, transience, fragility, and precise planning. How does your creative laboratory work?
LK&VK: Ironically, all these beyond-beautiful metaphors usually simultaneously face the reality of tight schedules, budget restrictions and crazy requests. Again, it’s about balance and transparent communication with the client and team. A decent time frame for exploration and creative development is key. We prefer to work over the brief to see how we can approach it – hence meeting the client’s expectations while staying as authentic as possible. Having tons of pieces of this creative puzzle is the moment when we can start refining the idea.
Images, books, museums, music, architecture, nature, travelling – all types of inspiration work for us, though with the exception of researching other artists’ work. The direct references are something we are not fans of.
h: You have a knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary and finding endless inspiration in the regular objects we see around us every day. What makes an object special for you? How does it turn into art in your head?
LK&VK: We believe some kind of creative twist is something that is always with us when we develop a concept. It comes up unconsciously rather than intentionally. We are not chasing the idea of being ‘different’. It’s just the way our imagination works. Let’s say, shell and glass (or metal) are a mixture of things that come from very different environments yet they are able to balance one another perfectly. We would say our goal is to stay as authentic and unique as possible while staying curious about possible visual explorations and compositions. You never know how different objects might work together until you trust yourself and give it a try.
h: Every creative journey has its dragons to slay. Was there a specific project you could call that dragon? And how did CENTÁ slay it?
LK&VK: Lack of time and crazy schedules are always such dragons. Sometimes an approval process can take forever. We are constantly working on communication by trying to explain that achieving the look the client loves takes time and all types of resources. Hoping for a magical solution does not always help.
Of course, the best collaborations come from ultimate trust and dedication. Sometimes it’s really tricky to show a process to the client through references – separate unrelated images might seem like they would never work together until the moment we start to set it up. Hence, it’s another dragon we’re dealing with on a regular basis. Our personal projects are a huge help though. Luckily, there is a massive number of experiments that we can rely on.
h: How do you strike the delicate balance between innovation and resonance, especially in spaces like Palácio do Grilo?
LK&VK: We believe that with places like Palácio do Grilo it’s essential to respect and feel the space. Initially, you have to work with a character, with its existing narrative and background. Our goal in this case is to help tell the story visually without drastically changing the environment around it. It’s more like a support actor role that helps the main character to shine brighter.
h: What ultimately inspires you? And who do you dream of collaborating with?
LK&VK: Aesthetic value might be so versatile and distilled from ordinary (at the very first sight) and simple things. How come butter became a foundation for such a beautiful series of set decorations? Whipped and shaped in all possible forms and colours, it can be everything you want – a rabbit or a birthday cake. We don’t mind egg shoes as well! Again, just a bit of a twist brings pure fascination. We love vintage shopping and keep adding new unique objects to our collection. When you scrutinise all the details on a plate or a baby rattle or hear a story behind a tablecloth or a sheet set – it’s just something very precious to us. Portugal is a country of palaces with truly unique architecture and interiors. A day trip to, for example, Parc and Palacio de Monserrate or a few hours spent at Calouste Gulbenkian Museum nourish you with endless ideas. And, of course, travelling goes along that way. Nothing is better than getting inspired by your favourite cities and places in real life.
Also, we are always beyond excited to work with niche brands with a strong idea behind them. Those collaborations usually turn around as trustworthy and long-lasting partnerships.
h: What opportunities does CENTÁ see for further growth or expansion in the future?
LK&VK: We are willing to explore new markets such as the US while also working with European and Asian clients. Currently, we are focused on Creative Direction for a few restaurants and ART spaces so it’s something that we’d like to pursue further. We also understand the priority of personal creative projects so we will definitely book some time for exploration in that area.
Photography courtesy of CENTÁ
