When art invents economy, Bruno da Rocha jewellery line, Portugal
Can art take inspiration from the financial system? There are no limits or rules to the self-expression of each artist. In conversation with Bruno da Rocha, he confessed that “Process is everything, when you look at a piece of jewelry, you are looking at a piece of art, so you can dissect it the same way as you can dissect an art piece in an art gallery”
BRUNO DA ROCHAS will be exhibiting at HOMI FASHION&JEWELS EXHIBITION
17 - 20 February 2023
A dedication to sustainability, craftsmanship, design and manufacturing with the ultimate accuracy. HOMI FASHION&JEWELS EXHIBITION explores a cultural challenge, is sustainability an utopian fantasy or a possibility?
Did you always work with jewelry?
Yes, I finished my studies when I was very, very young. I was 18, so I didn't want to go to university. And I went to a School of Arts in Porto, which was very nice. I started very early in my studies in jewelry. Then after two years I attended a more specific school. It wasn’t much connected with design, but technically it was very good for classic jewelry. Then I started my own brand with a friend of mine in 2005. We split and I created my own project, but all my life was dedicated to jewelry.
You have your own studio in Porto, right?
Exactly, it’s almost like Milan. All the factories and industries are in north of Portugal. Well, I was born in Porto. We have a big industry of jewellery in Portugal. I always wanted to work with something connected to art. I could have chosen sculpture or painting or something else, but I chose jewellery.
And to find your own style.
Fashion is always happening so fast, but I have pieces that I made in 1992 that I'm still selling today. I try not to work with seasons on my collections. I don't work for mass production capitalized jewelry.
What materials are you working with?
I only work with precious metals. My main material is silver. And for some pieces I work with natural stones and natural materials.
How is the process?
I start with my drawings, with collections that I can imagine. I make the first model all by hand. I don't work with 3D softwares. Normally I use brass or wax to make the models.Then I send them to a factory and they make the pieces. The process starts and finishes here.
Do you have your own shop?
Not anymore, I used to have a shop in Madrid from 2009 to 2011, but then we closed. Spain is very close from Portugal, and Madrid is a city that I love very much. I used to travel every two weeks, connecting my atelier here in Porto to the shop in Madrid.
I love the spider collection, how did you come up with the idea?
I always loved jewellery from the forties. There were those ladies with big animals and ants and lizards on their jackets. I think it was in 95 when I made the first spider, but I didn’t want to copy and paste from nature. Nature is perfect like it is. So I wanted to create my own design. Spiders can be scary, I think this is kind of some primitive fear that we all have. I have many clients that look at it and say, I couldn't wear it. And then I have some clients that really love them.
Which themes do you work with?
I love architecture and organic and animal shapes. So my collections are a bit distinct sometimes. Sometimes people say, well, they don't connect very much because if you make organic pieces, how can you create these industrial pieces? But I think when you live in the cities, you are surrounded by so many things, you can enjoy a lot, an industrial building for example, but you also can enjoy a walk on the park and the trees and the flowers.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, I used to travel a lot to Hong Kong, Paris, Milan, trying to find new clients. So after that I decided I was going to stay in a very small studio making special pieces. I don't think I want to have a big factory anymore. You cannot control success, but let’s see how things will be.