About

During my studies of art conservation and restauration, some two decades ago, I found great inspiration from traditional craft and historical ornamentation. With admiration, I travelled to Viet Nam and spent a long time learning traditional lacquer techniques by local masters in Hanoi. Having learned, experimented and even struggled with this technique, I finally found my own direction through a process of ceaseless invention and reinvention in terms of materials, ideas and my own self. Traveling and living for a certain period of time in a specific location - mainly Germany, USA and Vietnam - helped me with a gently merge into local vibe, culture and habits. The turning point of my artworks is coming upon liquid metals that perfectly match my style and vision in stark contrast to my life experiences and adopted traditions. Treasuring the merit of Vietnamese traditional craftsmanship and West Coast life style, I managed to craft out the quintessence of its spirit mingled with my own to create my so called true art, a manifestation of the soul. Besides that adding 3D printing as method of practicing and experiencing technology in combination with craftsmanship really blows my mind since a couple of years towards new inspirations.

Things made by myself still have a strong touch of asian aura and peculiarly embellished with a western air. Possessing a limitless creativity, I effortlessly go back and forth between my restoration skills, Asian lacquer techniques and my own experimental ventures of testing, measuring and experiencing. Liquid metal such as brass, bronze, iron, copper, gold or silver in combination with wood, leaves, pearls, mother of pearls or shells, the ingredients for my creations coming from all walks of life may seem to be plain but unique and refreshing, just like the nature itself. A variety of objects, jewelry boxes, interiors, wall panels, mirror frames and artworks, each hand made and one of a kind, all come with a dearing message. 

A harvest moon, a milky way, classic pattern art, city maps and landscapes or even a kelp forest, all are inscribed in the language of traditional materials fusing with metals, a tongue that speaks beauty and vitality for me. The panel paintings I compose emit a smoggy and mysterious atmosphere of the tropics on a minimal disposition of modern insight. These western panoramic visions sophisticatedly inlaid with bamboo, eggshell or mother of pearl bear the weight of a living city or a shining moon sprouting out of the burning soil. I belief that magical combination gives a remarkably distinctive but familiar visual impression on any space, interior or decoration it is presented and leads the viewer into an emotion adventure of the artist’s mind.

As a professional conservator with mending and gilding techniques, I always well keep the natural beauty of everything I touch and garnish them with gold or silver, an experience and exploration into the inner self where the beauty comes from within. Let me take you on a journey through my world of art decoration and jewelry. 

Yours

Christiane Campioni