This portrait of my mother, Sofia Torga, is very special. It expresses her conviction and her purpose in life: the search for beauty through love, discipline and work. It was painted by a friend of my grandparents called Pedro Bueno—one of the society painters of the time—and I imagine that she must have been around 35 to 37 years old. My mother was born in Seville and lived most of her life in Andalusia. She was brought up in a very particular world—surrounded by culture and creativity—and this, together with her enormous sensitivity and perception, made her a very special person. She was the one who transmitted This story is from Kinfolk Issue Forty-Two Buy Now Related Stories Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.” Design Interiors Issue 51 Axel Vervoordt Inside the world of Axel Vervoordt. Design Issue 51 Inga Sempé “Minimalism is boring as hell, and on top of that, it’s preachy.” Design Issue 51 Halleroed Meet the giants of Swedish retail design. Design Issue 51 Andrew Trotter The architect and designer on renewing traditional architecture. Design Issue 51 Kim Lenschow The architect who wants to show you how your house works.
Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.”