Olivia Topa
Inlightout
Lamp maker
Flaxweiler, Luxembourg
Recommended by Association De Mains de Maîtres Luxembourg
Shaping light through papier mâché
- Olivia works with 12 layers of paper for each of her works
- She is committed to working with natural materials for her light sculptures
- Her practice is guided by total freedom in the creation process
At just eight years old, Olivia Topa would knit for hours on end, driven purely by the joy of creating. Born in Romania, she moved to Luxembourg in 2005. There, she discovered pottery before falling in love with a lesser-known art form: papier mâché lighting. Olivia developed her craft with the guidance of an American master artisan who mentored her remotely for three years. To achieve the luminous skins of her works, she tears, glues and layers 12 sheets of thin paper over a raw rattan structure. Each lamp takes shape without a sketch, guided purely by intuition. "What I create is not a decorative object, but an emotion I hope to pass on," Olivia says.
INTERVIEW
I discovered papier mâché online, watching the work of other artists. I have always felt close to nature and natural materials such as paper and wood. I was moved by the idea of recreating a work of art from an object already shaped by nature.
I never sketch, and I never plan ahead. I start from a raw piece of wood and allow myself to be carried by the material, almost like a dance. The shape reveals itself along the way. I change course as I go, keeping total freedom until the very end of the creative process.
I tear my paper by hand to avoid sharp edges, applying it layer by layer in three passes of four sheets each. As it dries, the paper contracts, so I place small wedges to prevent creasing. The result looks fragile, yet features 12 remarkably strong layers.
Believe in your practice and work hard. This has always been my mantra. You need the courage to dream and the dedication to carry it through. Never give up: limits come from within and anything is truly possible.
Olivia Topa
Inlightout
Lamp maker
Flaxweiler, Luxembourg
Recommended by Association De Mains de Maîtres Luxembourg
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Flaxweiler, Luxembourg
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+352 621680088
LANGUAGES
French, German, English, Italian, Romanian
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