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Andreia Gabriela Popescu is one of the most renowned and appreciated jewelry designers in Romania. Her creations always stand out through concept, design and execution, but also because of the unconventional materials that she uniquely combines with silver and gold.
This is also the case of her most recent collection: “Moving ART” by Andreia G. Popescu.
Through an impressive evocation of the work created by the artist Utamaro, Andreia brought to life elements from the Japanese culture and Geisha portraits.
The results are wonderful. Besides the painting in enamel, the collection amazes the viewer through the designer’s attention paid to every detail, like the inspiration to integrate in it treated natural elements, such as Japanese rice noodles and crepe paper, Bamboo leaves or cherry blossoms.
To this fact, the “Moving ART” collection represents the beautiful proof that a maker never ceases to experiment and overcome limits in the creative process.
Andreia also teaches jewelry classes at the Art and Design Institute Assamblage. In 2020, she received the Excellence Award for outstanding craftsmanship and the integration of classical techniques in contemporary jewelry design, at Romanian Jewelry Week.
Read the interview below to discover more about Andreia G. Popescu and her amazing creations:
The role of contemporary jewelry has become extremely important because of its power on visual communication and emotional education. Jewelry is a tool for social observation, analysis and relationship. Contemporary jewelry is also a symbol of transgression, a symbol of crossing of the border.
In my collection, I wanted to transgress some Japanese prints, starting with the creations of the renowned artist Utamaro, famous for his portraits of the Geisha women.
It is not by chance that I chose prints with Geisha portraits. In the Japanese history and culture, Geishas were known as persons who promoted the arts.
In fact, “Geisha” means a person of the arts, a performer of ancient tradition of Japanese art, expert in calligraphy, dancing, singing, flute and shamisen (a traditional Japanese tree-stringer instrument), as well as the art of hospitality and conversation. This person also plays games, engages in conversations with visitors, providing the most welcoming and intimate environment possible.
Furthermore, only those who go to the museums see and have knowledge about the exhibited art in there. You can’t take the artworks with you when leaving the museums, to spread culture.
This is why I have created art-bearing jewelry. It’s art in motion…it’s Moving Art!
The “Moving Art” Collection by Andreia Gabriela Popescu consists of necklaces, brooches and rings made as unique pieces, manufactured in 999 Silver, 925 Sterling Silver or 14K rose Gold.
Some of the pieces also include parts made with alternative materials, meaning natural elements such as rice grass, Japanese rice noodles, Bamboo leaves, Japanese crepe paper and Sekishu Shi paper, natural cherry blossoms or green seaweed leaf, treated and stabilized so that they can be worn with a thin layer of resin.
I only chose elements specific to the Japanese tradition as alternative materials, precisely to further support the concept of the collection.
I always rely on materials and techniques that help me express my ideas coherently and fully. Then I find the technical solutions needed to achieve this. Thus, the public will understand much more easily and correctly the message that I, as an artist, want to convey.
Through this new collection, I set out to bring together several jewelry work techniques with a high degree of difficulty in execution and excellent knowledge of these techniques.
I used construction, champlevé enamel, engraving and riveting of overlapping planes at a distance.
I would rather call it the greatest pleasure, not necessarily a challenge. It was to demonstrate that traditional jewelry techniques could be perfectly integrated into contemporary jewelry design.
The idea of creating a jewelry collection dedicated to the work of the great Japanese master of prints Utamaro came to my mind almost two years ago. However, I started working on the collection in February this year. I like to work in stages and I always start with the most complicated techniques, or with a high degree of difficulty.
In this case, it was the champlevé enamel technique. It is a wonderful technique but at the same time very elaborate. It requires strict observance and execution of each stage of work as best as possible and without deviation or “shortcuts”. Each phase depends on the one before it and how well it was done.
It is automatically time consuming, but it is spectacular gradually!
After I finished making the “paintings” in enamel, I worked the elements with alternative natural materials, then the chains, joints and fastening systems and finally, the jewel itself in which I was going to assemble everything.
I didn’t stop to quantify the time allotted because I enjoyed every moment of creation, but I think that, put together, they probably gathered for about two months.
Forms or volumes, functional and emotional, wearable and innovation, aesthetic, ergonomics and quality
The persons wearing my artworks are collectors of contemporary art jewelry, of unique art jewelry. They regard jewelry as an investment and know how to appreciate art, aesthetics, concept and originality, besides the value of the material and the execution of the piece.
I have assumed that in order to succeed you have to dedicate your body and soul to your work and any obstacle is actually a challenge that can be overcome!
I wanted to discover the beauty, that it exists everywhere and is waiting to be found!
I became aware and fully enjoyed the feeling of freedom and restraint that the act of creation gives you.
Another important factor was to accumulate a strong technical baggage. The permanent enrichment of the technical culture in this field is essential! First, it helps you express your ideas coherently and fully, to find the technical solutions necessary to achieve this.
In this way the public will understand much more easily and correctly the message that you as an artist want to convey.
It is not enough to have creativity, it is necessary to have a vast technical culture! In addition, to strongly believe in your works of art, because everyone will see this in your pieces.
I am very happy and I feel honored for the award I received!
It is a recognition and validation of my work. It takes years of study, experimentation, practice and perseverance. The satisfaction of success gives you wings to fly even higher and also the responsibility to prove even more.
I like to think of myself as a positive and confident person. That is why I hope that, next year, things will return to normal in the general context, to resume the international exhibition program and continue my participation in major contemporary jewelry exhibitions in Milan, Madrid, Barcelona, Venice and Athens, as I have done for so many years.
What I can say for sure is that the “MovingART” collection by Andreia G. Popescu was selected and will be presented in Madrid at Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas de Madrid (MNAD) from February 4 to March 21, 2021, and then in Milan, in June 2021.
Also, in October 2021, I will definitely participate at the next ROJW exhibition where I will present a new collection by Andreia G Popescu.
Photos:
Portrait of Andreia G. Popescu, photo credit Alex Boghian
Golden Geisha brooch, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, natural Bamboo leaves and resin, photo credit Adina Tocmelea
Green Geisha brooch, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, natural rice grass and resin, photo credit Adina Tocmelea
Red Geisha brooch, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, natural rice noodles and resin, photo credit Adina Tocmelea
Silver Geisha brooch, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, Japanese paper and resin, photo credit Adina Tocmelea
White Geisha ring, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, photo credit Andreia G. Popescu
White Geisha ring, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, photo credit Andreia G. Popescu
Garnet Geisha ring, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, photo credit Andreia G. Popescu
Grey Geisha necklace, made in 999 Pure Silver, 925 Sterling Silver, 14K Red Gold, enamels, photo credit Andreia G. Popescu
Andreia receiving the Excellence Award at ROJW 2020
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