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T he guest curator for the April edition of Contemporary Curated in Paris is the Milanese jewelry designer Bea Bongiasca. A Contemporary Art collector as well as an influential tastemaker, Bea is recognised globally for her unique style and ground-breaking designs, which have won her a following from Milan to Hollywood. Her inspiration stems from her passion for pop culture, contemporary art and design.
What was the first piece you collected?
My David Lachapelle photograph of Uma Thurman holding a rose. I was lucky enough to meet him at his retrospective at the Monnaie de Paris when I was 18 and it was a real starstruck moment.
What’s the favourite piece in your collection to date?
I love my Keith Haring print, Blueprint Drawings 8. It was executed in 1990, the year I was born. It is a eye-catching large-format piece which is filled with symbolism upon closer inspection.
What is your dream acquisition and why?
I would love to own a Rob Pruitt gradient painting wall. Or alternatively to fill a house with pieces of Memphis design. Any of the above will do!
If you could collaborate with any artist – dead or alive – who would it be and why?
I would love to have had the opportunity to work with the designer Ettore Sottsass who was based in Milan like me. He was a jack-of-all trades. Not only was he the head of Memphis but he was also an architect and an artist. He made everything from ceramics to mirrors, but I’m pretty sure he never strayed into jewelry, so that would have been fun!
Inside the Pop Universe of Jewellery Designer Bea Bongiasca
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Inside the Pop Universe of Jewelry Designer Bea Bongiasca
Are there any museums or collections that you particularly love?
I always take a trip to the Victoria & Albert Museum’s jewelry room whenever I visit London. They have one of the best collections of fine jewelry in the world.
Bea Bongiasca's Contemporary Curated Picks
Who are your favourite artists? Do you have a favourite period or artist?
I love the colourful rock scultpures of Ugo Rondinone and the monumental necklaces by Jean-Michel Othoniel.
My favourite period is post-war Japanese Pop Art by artists like Keichi Tanami, Tadanori Yokoo, Araki, Yayoi Kusama. More recently I have discovered the Pop Surrealism of Mark Ryden, Alex Gross and Sorayama.
What was the last exhibition you saw, and why did you love it?
I recently visited Le Corbusier’s ‘Cité Radieuse’ housing complex in Marseille. We went on a weekend when there was no one there, meaning we had free range of the whole place. I think it’s the coolest building I have ever seen, and it was really fun to explore the roof and all the different floors.
How do you start designing a collection?
I usually start to gather inspiration from a trip I’ve been on or a new area I have been reading about. The next stage mainly involves putting down on paper ideas that have been forming in my head over several months. I release two new collections a year, so I have time to tweak things until I’m happy with them.
Are there any exciting upcoming projects you're currently working on that you can share with us?
It’s all go in the Studio! We have recently launched our fine jewelry line, combining 18k gold with diamonds as well as precious coloured stones. It has been a long time in the making so I’m really happy with how it has turned out.
I have also ideated a collection of letters of the alphabet as pendants for necklaces. We did a lot of research into typography and I am very pleased with the result.
Main Image: Bea Bongiasca’s flagship store. Picture by Nicolo Terraneo
