Ultra

The project

The design is based on the casuality of nature and abstract shapes. Main focus is to underline and strenghten the inner beauty of the charcoal.
The jewel is strictly connected with the body. Ultra wants to emphasize the opportunity to wear a piece of art in a natural and effortless way.

Storytelling

THE IDEA:

The idea came about in an organic way, I can’t recall the exact moment as it was spontaneous. I can definitely trace it back to my childhood and a close relationship to nature, earth, plants and the transformation of materials. I had recently completed my studies in jewelry making and was experimenting with different creative paths. I was attracted to the colour black and its abstract forms that emerged spontaneously in my jewelry. Charcoal was the perfect material: it comes from nature, is a poor material, a uniform black and allows me to play with the randomness of its shapes.

THE BIRTH OF THE PROJECT:

My project arose from a need for personal expression, from the desire to artistically represent the context I live in, my narrative, and emotions. It’s especially a reflection on how a poor scrap material can become “precious”, as the metamorphosis of wood into charcoal carries strong meaning to it. The wood I use to create charcoal for artworks comes from my family’s orchard: when the plants die and are cut I collect the wood to burn and transform into jewelry. The cycle of life and death of a material is fundamental to me, the idea of giving it new life and applying its potential. I’d like to invite the observer to look beyond what is defined as beautiful or precious and be open to alternative art forms and diverse materials. I think it’s necessary to give importance to what stirs emotions instead of what is commonly accepted and defined as being of value. Additionally this has been an outlet to carry on my family heritage and transform it into something new and more personal, a way to explain where I come from, what I am and to take back ownership of the land.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS:

The creative process begins with collecting and choosing cut wood. When I choose it, sometimes I find it by chance, sometimes I chop it, modify it and try to imagine what it could become. Afterwards I burn it, sometimes it’s a wait that lasts days in which the wood will change shape combusting and creating unpredictable textures and shapes. This phase is very important: letting it be so it is still a natural phenomenon that guides  the creation of the artwork, so that the cycle of nature continues.
Once the wood is charred the real creative process begins, in which I study various objects and break them further: I crumble and fragment them, put them together again and re-imagine what they could be. Then I stabilize the charcoal with resin so that it becomes more resistant and doesn’t stain. It can take many days of coating and drying out for multi-layered pieces. Alongside this process I begin building the structure of the piece, usually using precious metals. Once the two sides come together I polish it and add details. It’s fundamental to me that the material remains the protagonist of my artworks, I don’t want my intervention to prevail over the randomness and unpredictability of natural shapes.

THE COLLABORATION:

The whole structure of the project is based on collaboration. The main tool used by the project, the sewing cafè, it is a collaborative environment where all the participants are able to exchange skills and knowledge on textile field. The partners, in this context, worked side by side, improving each other. The entire project could not have started without a close collaboration and for this reason the partners know perfectly well that working together is the best way to develop things.

THE FUTURE:

Research is a continuous process, so it’s hard to imagine the future – I hope it’s full of unexpected folds. I hope to give visibility to my work and continue developing and growing it. I think it’s important to loosen the barriers between different creative areas, extending and merging them as a result. I hope and aspire to develop collaborations and interactions in the areas of art, design or fashion, and to be able to showcase and sell my works over the world. I wish to keep on having the will to bring forth my ideas, opening myself up to endless creative possibility. If I imagine achieving this certainly I’ll need support from a communications point of view, from marketing to management. 

THE MESSAGE:

Collaboration is really fundamental to fuel creative growth. Discussing and learning from others ensures that a project can develop taking new and unexpected paths. Collaborations expand horizons, they encourage all team members to try their best and always think constructively about the future. Collaborating with professionals in different fields to your own helps identify weak points in a project and resolve problems. It enriches each group member creating a network of professional and social connections that are fundamental to concrete development and the creative journey.