The warmth of movement shaping glass and metal, the dance inspiring the step of inanimate objects, a steel skeleton to carry a luminous gem: here is Alice Crepaldi and her human design.
Why did you draw inspiration from dance, the movement, and dynamism of the human body?
The idea for the collection was born during lockdown: everything was still, static, almost claustrophobic. I looked around and thought of creating something in motion, something that moved away from the idea of a functional piece of furniture but, once positioned, could almost be forgotten, still in its place.
Starting from this idea, I thought “by contrast”: from static to dynamic, from marginal to protagonist, from inanimate to animated. And so I thought about the human body. Each one different, each one unique and protagonist, in motion even when still, with new details always to discover and a special energy.
I started from observing myself, I began photographing and filming myself in different movements, highlighting different parts of my body and transferring everything onto paper in a natural, fast, instinctive way, without thinking too much. The final object had to reflect this spontaneity, this dynamism, and uniqueness that we find in each of us.
On the left, the Little J coffee table; on the right, Mr Joe, both danced jewels from the Walking Jewel collection.
What do you want your works to communicate? What would you like them to evoke in those who look at and use them?
All my work is based on the theme of movement. The intention is to make my projects somehow hypnotic, capable of creating wonder and curiosity. For me, this idea of “movement and uniqueness” is fundamental. In the metal part, dynamism is expressed by hand-bent rods welded in all directions, capturing the gaze and making one want to observe the object, its shape, and follow its movement by changing perspective.
In the case of glass, with the masters of Murano, I chose techniques that could enhance the very idea of movement. In the Miss Joshua lamp, the glass is blown directly into the metal cage, so at the end of the process, the illusion of something still trying to expand is created.
These are manual techniques, and in a context where everything can now be produced and reproduced, I like the fact that the end consumer can have something unique and unrepeatable.
The Miss Joshua lamp, with Murano glass blown by artisans captured in its expansion.
Glass and metal, hard and cold materials, for a dancing and energetic collection; why exactly these materials?
When I thought of the collection, all I saw, especially during the pandemic, was “heavy” in every sense: visually, mentally, physically. This concept merged with the idea of the body, and I decided to abstract it and free it from all this heaviness.
Metal was perfect for me: used as a functional and resistant skeleton, it could also be a light body, equipped only with the essentials to finally move freely in space.
Murano glass was the icing on the cake, carrying with it a concept of uniqueness that urges the observer to conceive it as something precious and delicate, and that was exactly what I wanted: an object that is not forgotten, but valued. Glass was the precious stone that nestled in the dancing frame, hence the title of the collection: the “Walking Jewel.”
The challenge was also to understand how to use two very ancient materials in a contemporary key. In metal, I decided to challenge its resistance by transforming it into essential, but also soft and sinuous forms. In glass, I wanted to reproduce traditional techniques in fresh and new forms, which could enhance its timeless beauty.
Glass, precious and brilliant, and the light but intricate forms of the metal skeleton.
What opportunities does Isola offer you and why did you choose to participate? How did you discover it?
A few months before the Isola Design district fair, they announced an initiative to organize an exhibition called “tools and craft,” and I immediately recognized myself in it. The concept is somewhat about returning to a dimension where there is more awareness of how things are made, appreciating and valuing them more for this reason.
The projects exhibited reflect the new wave of design that is rethinking how to produce and design, and young people like me are using design as a means to express themselves and make their voices and worldview heard.
Alice Crepaldi in her studio with the sketches of her works behind her.
