The art of flowers and Lalique

 

The idea of a collaboration with Lalique was indeed an exciting one. The challenge was to break down the barrier between the purely ornamental and the functional. People with a less sophisticated eye might be easily convinced that an exquisite object such as a Lalique vase should be simply placed in a designated spot, kept away from the real functional world, and merely be admired for its own intrinsic charm alone. However, to be able to use such an object as it was intended, as a receptacle for other things of equal though natural beauty, gives an elevated sense of joy. 

 

"The art of living is not about collecting objects, but how you communicate with them. Using them is one way of communication, an almost spiritual experience, as it mirrors your current state of mind and taste. And what better way to do this than flower arranging?”

 

The History of Lalique and its founder, Rene Lalique, was also an exciting one.  Living through changing times, he successfully channelled the aesthetics of the art nouveau zeitgeist of the 1900s into mass produced glass art for an international clientele during the 1920s.  Throughout his illustrious career, flowers have been a major and recurring theme of many of his designs.

 

The contrasts in shapes and sense of touch of these beautifully designed and crafted vases captivate me so much.  In this collection of floral creations I have endeavoured to show this strong connection between the organic and the geometric, the solid and the opaque, and the masculine and the feminine. This is a collection of floral creations that truly celebrates nature and individuality at one and the same time.