An architectural twist
- Mara trained as an architect in Venice
- Her pieces contain small hinge mechanisms
- Her workshop is located at Made by Ore in East London
Mara Irsara likes to quote her countryman, Italo Calvino: “Fantasy is like jam, it has to be spread on a solid slice of bread.” She is convinced she started spreading that jam already in the cradle. First came architecture, then jewellery came along. Now it is the combination of the two, feeding one another. Mara Irsara’s work is based on primordial forms - circles, squares and triangles being at the core. However, there is no strategy, she says, just a continuous stimulation through vast, even random collections of influences. She lets them spin and thrill and grow in a dialogue between rational and irrational. Also an essential part of her work is colour which she adds with various techniques, like flocking. She studied under renowned master artisans, Simone ten Hompel, Giovanni Corvaja and Stefano Marchetti.
Interview
- When and how did you actually start?
- Maybe I was destined to become a goldsmith. Aged seven, I asked my mum to take me to the goldsmith of our town. I asked him how to become a jewellery maker! After graduating as an architect in Venice, I moved to London, attended jewellery classes which led to an MA degree at Sir John Cass School of Art.
- What are your sources of inspiration?
- Curiosity is at the heart of my research and inspiration. Ancient and primitive cultures, with their explicit and simple interpretation of the basic geometric shapes and forms, enrapture me. My architectural training and work as an artisan go hand in hand.
- What are your skills?
- I have rediscovered enamelling, which I use to highlight my pieces. Some pieces are painted with acrylic paint and heat fixed on to the metal. The most complex technique is micro mosaic, an intricate and geometrical, but delicate combination of two materials in a mosaic form.
- How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
- I use traditional techniques. I do not use laser printing, it does not reflect or interpret what I make and wish to achieve. Furthermore, an important part of my work’s realisation is done while sitting at the bench. You can’t substitute that.
Mara Irsara is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2011
Where
Mara Irsara
