I went to Vienna for one day. I went for Van Cleef & Arpels. And I left thinking about the people who actually made the jewellery.
Vienna is an inspiring city.
My first visit there was last week, only for a day, with the sole purpose of visiting the MAK museum and the Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewelry × Masterpieces from the MAK Collection exhibition.
This was a show I couldn't leave. Similar to the major Cartier retrospective earlier this year at London's V&A, it was deep, historic, inspiring, moving, informative and stunningly beautiful. I was awe-struck. Not only by the beauty of the jewellery and objects, but by the unbelievable craftsmanship. The making, engineering and innovation behind the techniques of these jewels completely stopped me in my tracks.
Jewellery techniques have always delighted me with brilliance, but in these I just couldn't believe it. It did make me think a little more about the people behind these techniques. I always do think about the makers - but most people don't see that side.
We celebrate the Maison, the designer, the finished object, but the people who actually make these extraordinary things possible are often invisible.
These makers are geniuses.
I loved how widely Van Cleef & Arpels looked for ideas. They were inspired by fabric and decoration from Japan, furniture from the Bauhaus, Vienna for its rich culture of dance, music and the arts, nature and the flowers in France, the skies of the cosmos and, most brilliantly, everyday functional materials such as zips, laces, ropes and basket weaving. Functional materials were a large source of inspiration.
I kept being drawn to the proportions of the collar necklaces. There were so many versions, each experimenting with length, scale but the proportions were always perfect. Each collar showed expertly created patterns, weaves, settings, textures and layers. All resulting in the most spectacular and sublime creations of art.
The materials worked. I just kept thinking: “How did they think of that? Pure brilliance.”
They conquered the balance between design, innovation and beauty. They found this balance in everything they created.
Overall, my sense was that the Van Cleef & Arpels Maison is an utterly incredible team of talent, innovation, forward thinkers, world-cultured and dedicated people. I am in awe of the work, and of the exhibition itself, so beautifully created and executed as a show.
The MAK is an incredible building in the heart of Vienna and it was the perfect place to gather the beauty, skill and history of this incredible Maison.
I left feeling inspired, a little high on awe, and secretly wishing I had that level of talent inside me.
And to end the short day, there was a Klimt. Enough to open my soul and see that he is the artist for me. Klimt alone is the reason I'm booking my next trip to Vienna. I'm ready to take in all there is.
I also got to see some beautiful friends and their new baby boy (number 4 of 4 boys :)
Vienna, I will be back soon!
