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Showing posts with label bodo sperlein. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bodo sperlein. Show all posts

Turning Kitsch Into Couture. Teardrop Lighting by Bodo Sperlein.




Bodo Sperlein's work for Lladro and Nymphenberg caught my eye years ago and since then, I've been a fan of his elegant pieces and home decor. His Red Berry and Dibbern Black Forest Dinnerware have long been atop my wishlist. Here's yet another unique collection by Sperlein that preserves an endangered skill and turns it into contemporary pieces for the home.



His unique collection of pendant lighting, Teardrop, highlights Bodo Sperlein’s interest in preserving and celebrating traditional skills. In this case, he has re-imagined and updated hand-made bone china flowers which had fallen out of style and were considered kitsch.

With such a small group of ladies left in Staffordshire dedicated to this craft of handmaking, Sperlein sought to ensure that these skills survived into the 21st century and did so by taking delicate and detailed plain white bone china flowers and fusing them to dramatic hand blown teardrop-shaped borosilicate glass pendants. In addition to looking unusual, they cast flower shaped shadows.




Available in two sizes, you can buy them online here.

See more work by Bodo Sperlein here.

Lladro Does It Again: New ReDeco and ReCyclos Collections





Last year, I wrote about how Lladro hipped up their previously grandma-like porcelain figures with the introduction of Bodo Sperlein's Re:Cyclos Magical collection. A stunning nature inspired porcelain bisque collection from chandeliers to jewelry and wall hooks to votives.

As described by Lladro:
Re-Cyclos was a creative proposal of new and evocative works made from Lladró’s classic figurines. Lladró Re-Cyclos Magical by Bodo Sperlein came into being when the porcelain brand invited prestigious designers from all over the world to reinterpret its creations. Well acquainted with the workings of porcelain, Sperlein decided to focus on Nature using delicate elements of Lladró to create new and surprising jewelry accessories, and lighting and décor objects.

This year. they've done it again with British design team Committee.


Above: The British design team Committee is made up of Harry Richardson and Clare Page, born in Northampton and London respectively and trained at the Liverpool Art School. Both claim that they explore the everyday with “pragmatism and imagination”.

The following pieces were unveiled at this year's Maison Objet show.


Above: One of the themes chosen by this creative team is the love of a couple, whose evolution is depicted by a truly characteristic element in the creations of this porcelain brand: handmade flowers, made petal by petal. Therefore, the designers’ proposal consists of three couples made of white porcelain covered progressively by flowers, signifying the growth of their feelings. This trilogy comes to a close with a spectacular creation, covered with the greatest number of flowers ever created in the history of Lladró: over a thousand flowers covering the characters’ bodies.



Above: They also presented boxes designed from the original molds used to make Lladró porcelain figurines. This time, the designers pay tribute to the beauty concealed by these moulds and play with the reliefs of the concave shapes. The results are innovative objects capturing the creative spirit of Lladró works.

Also introduced this year at Paris' Maison et Objet were some new additions to the Re:cyclos line by Bodo Sperlein. The Ascot collection of tableware and accessories and the new Magic Forest chandelier.



The Ascot collection as described by Bodo Sperlein:
The Ascot collection is a versatile group of table top accessories, which bring a touch of originality and style to any table. Horses’ legs, heads and hoofs are used in a clever and inventive way to invite us to touch and admire each piece. Subtle and elegant natural grey horse fur tones and effects are hand painted on handles, lids and elements of each product. The collection is a celebration of the highly skilled Lladro porcelain craftsmen.



Lladró Re-Cyclos Magical also launches a new version of the Niagara chandelier,
a spectacular hanging lamp with hundreds of white porcelain butterflies hanging from optical fiber cables. This creation received an excellent response in both of its formats (1.10m and 2m), now available in a smaller size (60cm). The collection will grow with the incorporation of the chandelier Magic Forest with dozens of delicate porcelain leaves.


Above left is the new Magic Forest Chandelier and on the right, the original Niagara Chandelier.



These aren't the only efforts Lladro has made at reinvigorating their image and appealing to a much broader and trendier audience. As art director for the Re:deco collection, Spanish designer Jaime Hayon brought Lladro to the attention of design bloggers and magazines everywhere.


Above: Hayon at work

Some of Hayon's pieces for Lladro took their original molds and kept the reminder of the form as matte or glossy porcelain while adding platinum glazed touches (and in some cases gold or monochromatic) to them, transforming them from traditional even old-fashioned figurines to modern objects.




And others reinterpreted traditional pieces by turning them into lamps and mirrors.





Spanish designer Jaime Hayon is hot hot hot, with his blogged about latest designs for Camper, the beautiful AQHayon bathroom collection, his swarovski studded lamps and more can be seen on his site.

Not Your Grandmother's Lladro (Thank God)


above: Jaime Hayon's Clown lamp for Lladro.

I've been known to describe my own personal hell as having to spend eternity in a room decorated with LeRoy Neiman paintings and Lladro sculptures, as Dixieland music plays and I am made to to eat Ambrosia Fruit Salad.


above left: Ambrosia Fruit Salad, right: LeRoy Neiman's Tiger

But every once in awhile I am forced to reevaluate my own strongly stated opinions. Lladro's 2007 spring collection has me rethinking my previously formed opinion of this highly popular, ridiculously overpriced line of decorative figurines.

Below is a picture of Lladro's "A Grand Adventure", priced at $34,000.00


Now, don't get me wrong. I still can't stand the majority of their muted-colored elongated people frozen in sappy moments illustrating bygone stereotypes of professions and family roles. While I can respect the craftsmanship, I simply can't stand neither the style nor the subject of their 'collectibles'. You'd actually have to pay me MORE than the price tag to display their $34,000 "A Grand Adventure" train scene in my home.

But Bodo Sperlein's Re-cyclos Collection, new this spring, is not the Lladro I grew to know and hate. (By the way, Bodo Sperlein designed the ever-popular omnipresent blog favorite Red Berry China Collection, some pieces of which can be seen below):




The Lladro 2007 Re-cyclos Collection, to be released this Spring, is created in porcelain with matte white and/or black finishes. The pieces are fundamentally modern in their design and are functional as opposed to decorative. The bottle stoppers, hanging lights, wall sconces, bud vases, jewelry and candle holders are sensuous in form and feel, and frankly (dare I say it) attractive.

Don't believe me? See for yourself:


above: bird ring from Lladro's 2007 spring collection


above: candle holder from Lladro's 2007 spring collection


above: Buddha HeadII from Lladro's 2007 spring collection


above: Winged wall sconce from Lladro's 2007 spring collection


above: Butterfly chandelier from Lladro's 2007 spring collection

above: Bird cuff links, porcelain and sterling silver, from Lladro's 2007 spring collection

above: Flower tapestry bud vase from Lladro's 2007 spring collection

above: Butterfly pendant lamp from Lladro's 2007 spring collection

above: Open necklace, 18k over sterling and porcelain, from Lladro's 2007 spring collection


above: Bacchus Ram bottle stopper from Lladro's 2007 spring collection
So, I guess from this day forth I will have to describe my own personal hell as being forced to eat Ambrosia Fruit Salad while listening to Dixieland, held captive in a room decorated with LeRoy Neiman Paintings and.... Hummel Figurine


UPDATE:

Since this post, Lladro has continued to contemporize their line with the RE: Deco line and wonderful works by Jaime Hayon and other contemporary sculptors and designers:





Visit the entire collection of Lladro here.

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