TPROJ Shapes in Transit

ABSTRACT

What is the role of the body in relation to jewelry? Which sensations can jewelry provoke to the body and how can those change or affect the self-awareness of the wearer?

The conversation between jewelry maker Lavinia Rossetti and choreographer Elisa Zuppini started from general reflections about the relation between body and jewelry. Their research has been developed by observing the experiential state of the performer when entering in a relationship with diverse types of objects and materials, while also looking at their responses. To be able to observe this relationship they created a system composed of steel springs and magnets. The magnets are arranged in space and on the body, while the springs are partially or totally free between the body and the magnets.

In a nutshell, the body, springs and magnets create a relational cluster. The body engages in this relation through de.sy.re, a movement system developed by Elisa Zuppini which functions through logic of sensations and where the body is considered as an hypersensitive subject. As the body reorients itself, springs and magnets enact their response. This ever-moving and sensorial system generates constant shapes in transit, changing and reshaping, exploring questions about wearability and design within the field of jewelry.

The result of this crossed investigation between their practices aims to propose an analysis of body and jewellery as a relational system where both subject and object are considered active agents for each other.

BIOGRAPHY

Lavinia Rossetti is an Italian-born, Belgium-based contemporary jewelry maker, currently researching at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Antwerp (Body & Material Reinvented group), where she investigates the performative role of jewelry using an interdisciplinary and experimental approach. She has taught at Alchimia Jewellery School while combining travels to Asia for collaborations and workshops in Shanghai (Academy of International Visual Arts, Shanghai Institute of Visual Art, SanW Gallery/Studio). She currently travels to Milan where she collaborates with IED (European Institute of Design). Her work has been represented by Caroline Van Hoek (Bruxelles) and more recently by Antonella Villanova (Florence), and has shown in international exhibitions and design fairs.

Biography Elisa Zuppini:

Elisa Zuppini (IT / NL) is a choreographer and dance maker. She graduated from SNDO- School for new dance development in June 2018 in Amsterdam, where she is currently based.

Through her movement practice De.sy.re. she creates pieces for different site-specific spaces, such as those of the club, academic contexts, the museum, but also for more conventional places like the theater. Through her research she constantly questions the placement of the human body and its potentiality to change and be changed. In this way, reflecting on how we can think of the body as a part of larger, decentralized and broader systems rather than an autonomous and isolated one, it’s also questioned the idea of objectification, as a process of decentralization and shift of the perception of oneself. In the past year, her practice has become grounds for artistic exchanges with various visual artists, writers and dancers, also through teaching workshops. Since February 2019, Elisa has been one of the supported artists by Amsterdam-based Dance Company ICK. In October 2019, she collaborated with Noha Ramadan Body DROP, a dance event for Amsterdam dance event and ICK. During the same month, she also premiered her latest work Himalaya made in collaboration with composer and Dj M.E.S.H.