Wednesday, 4 October 2017

Morocco loop described through a Berber bracelet



my article has been published also in the beutiful travel blog by Maria Kritsiligou Goseeleave

 

I started going through the bracelets, cheap imitations of the traditional Tuareg bracelets made with fine layers of silver and ebony wood. These ones had black lines painted on them instead. I looked out at the scenery. We were stranded in a bar while trying to cross the Atlas mountains as the heavy snow got to us first. ''It's not that heavy said a guy from Sweden''. Looking at those mountains covered in snow I felt I could trace the origin of the inspiration of these bracelets as the snow set on the layered rock formations of the mountains creating a zebra like surrounding. Ancient rocks, proudly confronting winds, snow, heat and passer bys for centuries.

I picked up the one I had liked right from the start.  It was shinning as if worn not long ago. One round circle decorated with 4 spring like tubes and bulky silver dots creating 4 crosses and tiny in size. My hands are small and ''if it fits'' I think to myself ''it was waiting for me and it's mine''. I squeezed it through my hand and as it slid on my wrist I felt that familiar ''I muuuust have it'' feeling. The guy in the shop came up:
- silver, he says
- it's not silver
- Berber silver, he replies without insisting. It's antique he continues and that I believe.
Berber silver is a base metal, silver in colour but made mostly of zinc mined in the north part of the country.

- How much?
he types 280 on a calculator without speaking
- are you crazy?!
he points at the figure again without speaking
-100 Dirham I say
he points at the figure again without speaking
- common! it's not even silver! 120...
he points at the figure again without speaking

I take the bracelet off, let it down and move toward the open door to look at the snow fall.

I sigh... the rule here is that you loose I admit to myself. They win
But I still want that damn bracelet! I go back in. 120 I tell him. he types 250. well that's a start I suppose but he's obviously tough since he knows I can't go anywhere in the snow and that I'm craving for it. A guy walks in with a dark brown djellaba (the colour symbolising that he is a single man) rasta hair and sunglasses moving lightly t for his size and you can smell his mischief under his funky appearance . He looks like the big  boss of everything there so I turn to him instead and shout ''150 Dirham''. He waves ok with his hand, I give the money I take it and wear it I m happy. A little victory I feel.

I join the others from the group. They seem angry with the driver and the guide who has suddenly decided to reply only by saying: ''I don't understand English''. No one is suggesting a way out of here, it's been 6 hours now, we have had sweet mint tea, cakes and soup, we have bought stuff we have listened to the drums and played on them and now we need a way out. When some voices are risen they give us a solution that feels it could have happened 6 hours ago: we either pay more to take a long11 hour drive round via Agadir in order to reach the Todga Gorges or we go back to Marrakesh, miss the whole 3 day trip and with no guarantee of getting back the money. We all agree on the first choice, they win...

I wore my bracelet all the way into the Merzouga Desert while seeing a burning red sunset. I wore it and all the way up to Fez through a beautiful snowed vast scenery that felt like being on the moon... but meeting monkeys along the way instead of aliens.

In our room in Fez I see a poster of a girl covered in bracelets just like my one and it makes me instantly forget the labyrinths of this amazing city and the dizziness it took to find the hidden gem of our Riad.

The next day Abdul approaches and self employs himself as our guide through the leather dying factories. The worst job you get to do there is wash the skins in a stinking watery mix of pigeon dunk. You stand in the pool with the water up to your knees. A working day is worth 10 euros, it starts at 5am and finishes at 5 pm between the  horrifying odour of dead animals, dyes, pigeon poo and vinegar.

Abdul notices my bracelet. ''My mother has many of these bracelets, women used to wear them for self protection. That's why the have bulky decorations on them so it hurts if they cross your face''. He adds that his mother smokes more hash than him.
 I can't help but imagine the woman who wore this piece,  small in size like me. Full of these self defence ornaments, it makes me feel strong.

In Chefchaouen the beautiful blue gem of the North I meet Mohamed, a young boy with eyes the colour of fresh wild honey. He cultivates hash, breeds white travelling pigeons and speaks in a mix of Spanish Arabic and English. He explains to me that the bulky beads on my bracelet are seven to symbolize the seven days of the week and the springs are four to symbolize the seasons. I just nod, hypnotized by his eyes and I let myself fall in love for as long as this conversation may last.

In my last day in Marrakesh before flying back to Europe I see a shop seller who suggests I sell him my bracelet. how much did you buy it for. 150 Dirham I say. I ll buy it off  you for 200 he says. Not a chance! This bracelet has been my guide to explore this culture. It reminds me of what travelling really means: of finding new things, inspiration and knowledge of loosing your patience and money, of wasting time and chances,. It reminds me of this beautiful loop around mainland Morocco, round, rough and shiny like my Berber bracelet.








I spotted it between a bunch of many bracelets, most of them I had seen before, nearly on every jewellery selling stall in Marrakesh; cuffs with their open ends filed in different shapes and larger in the middle as if creating a mountain peak. The highest peak in Morocco is Toubkal of the Atlas mountain range that rises at 4,167 metres. I used to think that the largest warm desert in the world would just be sand dunes till I realized that the highest Sahara peak reaches 3,445 meter in Chad.

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

Framed Fagments of Nature by Lamerti

Martina Angius is the artist behind Lamerti. Flowers, leaves and fragments from nature are isolated and framed into glass to create mystical and wearable compositions. Answering to three of our questions here is what she says...

1. Name a famous person you would like to see wearing your creations.
M.A - I have so many people in mind! Maybe Tilda Swinton, she is equally elegant and androgynous enough to wear one of my pieces. 

2. What album is keeping you company lately as you work?
M.A -The best of Frank Sinatra. It's been two weeks that I think only of him!

3. If you were not an artist what would you be doing today?
M.A - I could have been a scientist or a doctor. If I think of a different life with a different mind set I like to imagine myself with a white robe in the corridors of a hospital or in a laboratory studying samples from far away planets.

collaboration with tattoo artist WELLE FRANGETTE
Lamerti creations
Collaboration with photographer ANDREA PAPI


Lamerti creations






















Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Inspiration Gigi Mariani


It's been a while since I posted and being back here means a lot to me mostly because it implies that I have earned me some time and space to look into things I love, research, learn, be inspired and ultimately create.  

This year's guest artist of Joya Barcelona art jewllery fair 2015 was Gigi Mariani, a fair as important as the invitation itself. 

This video explains all the design and making process behind a piece, how technical skill and a soul for raw dark beauty produces little precious objects of wearable art to be adorned. I love how he makes the actual making seam simple. That's what a great design is all about, to not see all the hard work behind the product but the beauty and functionality of the object itself. Forever faithful to all these qualities. 

"I have always been fascinated by the infinite potential that metals offer and the opportunity of transforming their original properties and aspect in order to stretch the scope of what can be achieved.
I avail myself of antique goldsmith techniques that have almost fallen into disuse, 
I apply niello to the surface of the metal so that it is completely covered. In this way, the preciousness of the metal disappears leaving way to a dark, rough surface. Through the use of heat, I achieve cracks and clots resulting in surfaces that seem battered and ill-treated, resembling ancient relics.
My work is based on spontaneity and instinct. I try to transfer everyday emotions into my jewellery in an impulsive way." 
GIGI MARIANI, 1957 – Modena – Italy










Thursday, 20 November 2014

Amster-damn good jewellery

Amsterdamn good jewellery

I know Amsterdam is famous for all it's hidden design treasures, trippy pleasures and cosy beer incensed pubs but I'm a jewellery geek and gem wise, it was flipping inspiring! There are tons of galleries and designers but I'll give you my picks from my little visit.

First of all the 13th edition of Sieraad art fair was on when I visited in November and it's a jewellery blast in your face. About 160 designers from 28 different countries around the world present and promote their work directly and on the spot in the Westergasfabriek (don't need to know Dutch to get that it is West and was a gas factory) On my Christmas wish list is a kinetic ring by Merav O Roth and  a plique a jour wing earring by Ching-chih Wu, just to give you  a little insight on what was on, but Sieraad deserves an article for it's self so i'll be back with with that soon.

Ching - Chih Wu

Merav O Roth


A true experience was Ra Gallery... it felt as if all objects where picked by some jewellery god himself. It is a proper Art gallery focusing on the concept of vessels with every piece a unique creation that stops your breathing for just a second. All beautiful with intriguing textures, colours, forms that take technique to different level. I adored Frieda Doerfer's grand texture necklaces, Floor Mommersteeg's lightweight and transparent heart and Tanel Veenre's dramatic seahorse complexes.

 
Floor Mommersteeg
Frieda Doerfer
Tanel Veenre
For a really warm jewellery encounter however you have to pass by TNLP, a concept store organised by the one and only Giulia from Italy. The New Label Project is a place where designers or artists can 'rent' a box and show their work for a period of time, no commissions, no other worries and Giulia does the rest.  So designers find a their spot and you can go through a really cute selection of jewellery, clothes and small art pieces by 70 designers from different parts of Europe. One is in fact my friend Cindy, check her RAW gems with her intriguing creations of silver, pearls and chains, so complex but yet so light and minimal. Giulia gave me a tour while the soundtrack of "Start Again" was playing in the background and when she told me "I am my best customer" I realised that this little Amsterdam spot is her dream come true. 



Giulia in her TNLP beautiful world 


Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Floating workshop pt1.

In the summer Athens is musically active, funky, colourful with graffiti art, events and tourists...it is also BOILING hot and I have been on fire since May so I made a clean and cool escape towards Santorini. My friend Filio paints jazz inspired images on wooden accessories and together we packed up our workshops, got a boat ticket and sailed off towards the Aegean Sea. In the morning we work on our designs and in the evening we set up our stalls by the sea. It's still work but from a beautiful setting
The sea is relaxing and the colours inspiring so i'm jotting down ideas for new designs.  




workshop view

kit packed workshop 

office view
our little shops

Filio working on her Jazz Illusions


brass pearl ring
 
custom made baby fish












Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Back to school!

Going back to school isn't that bad if you go Stemnitsa, a cute little village in the Mountains of Arcadia, a most beautiful area of the Peloponnese in Greece. This public goldsmiths school has been there since 1976 and although faced issues of closing down due to the economic crisis it is still going strong and giving seminars to professionals to improve their techniques and learn new ones. For 10 days great Greek tutors of mokume, stone setting, glyptography, filigree, gemology, enamel, carving and repoussè where found all together sharing education, wine and local meat in the most pagan parts of Greece... simply a jewellers delight. So here's what I was up to these last days and where I was lost...

the village of Stemnitsa
Stemnitsa

tools

stone setting
filigree jewellery


gemology

me
  


gemology











enameling teacher's car... of course
enamel

stone setting - G. Varveropoulos 
filigree - G. Mandrohalos
enamel - K. Stamati
gemology - M. Michailidou and Krikou
gliptography - K. Apostolopoulou
mokoume - syn apeiro
carving - Anastasopoulos 
tool making - Sarakiniotis and Papadopoulos
repousee - Karalis