Are you a member of that rather large community of people scattered a bit all over the world who conceive crocheting as an activity mainly carried out by elderly ladies, often seen knitting flowers and other assorted boring motifs in a centrepiece configuration? Well, then have a look at Arielle de Pinto’s creations and marvel at what crocheting can inspire you.
Born and raised in Toronto, de Pinto was educated at Montreal’s Concordia University. While studying Fine Arts and Textiles, the young designer started experimenting with crocheting techniques that she applied to a range of jewellery, launched in 2007. Using silver and gold as if they were cotton-based fibres, de Pinto produces jewels that look exactly like amazing crocheted pieces. To give the impression the pieces are actually crocheted, the designer even leaves a few metal strands out of her precise works of art, giving them a slightly imperfect look as if they had been made by an amateur crochet enthusiast.
de Pinto's most elaborate pieces should be worn with ethereal dresses, the most delicate ones should instead be paired with tailored jackets characterised by a severe cut to create unusual chiaroscuro effects and contrasts between different textures.
The artist’s web-like and pouch necklaces amaze me, while I find her collar-style necklaces with their detailed motifs in sterling fibre silver simply stunning, yet it’s her larger pieces such as her tank tops and masks that I find particularly intriguing and striking.
Some masks are slightly grotesque and disturbing, but they have the power to mesmerise you with their silver and gold threads forming intricate patterns and cascades of fringes or reproducing the features of a human face. The masks should be approached like showpieces or pieces of art for the body, as they play with the dichotomies beautiful/monstrous, charming/absurd and human/animal. de Pinto's more recent masks seem to be particularly elaborate and I wonder if in future she will develop further her work with silver and gold threads and apply it to other accessories to wear on the body. I'll definitely keep an eye on her.
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