Beads and repeats
Jewellery and fabrics with designs inspired by nature go on show in Nicosia this week
Tell me about a place that sells great accessories and you’re more than likely to see me running there to find some more little wonders to add to my never ending collection. Actually, just ask any female about beautiful accessories and they’re more than likely to grin widely as they think of their favourite jewellery piece or that very special bag they just love to take with them absolutely everywhere.
This week, two young female designers who really love their beads, fabrics, and all things pretty and colourful, have come together to exhibit their work at Gallery K in Nicosia. The designers, Marianna Anastasiou (jewellery designer) and Eleonora Gerolemou (fabric designer), are exhibiting together for the first time under the title Beads and Repeats.
Having completed their studies in design at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK, they both went on to exhibit their innovative work at the ‘New Designers’ exhibition in London during the summer of 2004. Now, still only 24 years old, they are determined to bring fresh ideas into the art world. “Our inspiration is the environment that surrounds us, as long as we observe and analyse it with an open mind. Nature, an image, a set of colours, random shapes all around, become the inspiration for decorative designs, paintings and fabric,” they explain.
Marianna creates handmade beads from glass, paying special attention to design as the glass heats up in high temperatures and forms while still hot. Spending time in her Nicosia workshop, she dedicates hours towards making her unique visions come to life. Walking into Gallery K you will be greeted by many handmade glass jewellery pieces, as well as many sculptural works including fish and different fruits. And it’s not just any glass that’s used for these pieces. The artist takes time to explain that she only works with Murano glass, originating from the tiny island off the coast of Venice where people have spent years perfecting this special material. “Whether it’s a necklace or a bracelet you can see lots of details inside each bead. Because of this detail all the intricate pieces are very different from each other,” she explains.
What does this artist with such a love for detail have to say about the accessories sold these days in shops? “To be honest, I find that they lack inspiration and creativity. All the beads are mass produced and come in very specific shapes. I’m trying to make a difference by using all different types of shapes and colours mixed together”. She then goes on to tell me that jewellery design will soon radically change. “I think designs will be made to go all around the body, I’ve already seen really new and eccentric styles in exhibitions in London. Things will get bigger and will go beyond necklaces and bracelets, perhaps beginning from the head and going down the legs. I also think that we’ll soon be seeing jewellery sown into fabrics and tops. I’m excited,” she admits, “I want shapes to change and to see different variations around”. Well, maybe we’re not quite ready to walk down the streets of Cyprus with beads dangling from our heads to our feet, but no doubt they’ll be spotted in fashion magazines or seen adorning the body of one celebrity or other sometime soon.
Moving on from intricate jewellery to innovative fabric designs, Eleonora focuses on the creation of unusual patterns. Not only will you get to see some great fabrics that she has made into pillows, but also some paintings that have the potential to be printed on cards, clothes and even bags. Some of these paintings have already been made into fabrics so you can see how an art piece on the wall changes into a product with an everyday function.
“Patterns really fascinate me because they have endless possibilities. Today you can translate almost any image exactly as you want it onto fabric and the end result can be truly fascinating,” says Eleonora. The main theme of her work is ‘In Repeat’, where she pays special attention to the repeated use of refined colour and repeated patterns on various materials. “I mainly explore floral and natural prints. Nature has always been a great inspiration for me,” she says. “Actually, inspiration can come from anywhere at any time. I might closely observe a leaf and then associate various shapes together in my mind. Images and objects from daily life can all be translated into great visual pieces”.
With both of the artists paying special attention to repetition, rhythm, sequence and colour, all the work on display fits together and complements each other. “Come to the exhibition with an open frame of mind. It will be different,” says Marianna. “It’s definitely something new and fresh for Cyprus standards. It’s unusual, you don’t often get to see jewellery, fabrics and paintings all in one space,” adds Eleonora. “I’d say this show offers a breath of fresh air into the art world as we create work that holds a sense of playfulness and humour within it”. Surely most of us don’t need much of a push to go along and set our sights on some stunning works designed by two young women intent on taking the design of the everyday objects we love to whole new levels.
Beads and Repeats
Exhibition by Marianna Anastasiou and Eleonora Gerolemou. Opens October 11, 7pm, until November 11. First floor of Gallery K, 14 Evrou St, Nicosia. Tel: 22-341122
