For the past ten years global jewelry powerhouse, Cartier, has hosted an exciting project aptly called Artist Meets Artisan. Cartier invites contemporary artists to work in collaboration with the ateliers utilizing unused stones to create unique art pieces. Through this initiative, The Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain has tapped talented artists like Alessandro Mendini, David Lynch, Jean-Michel Alberola, Takeshi Kitano, and Beatriz Milhazes to participate – all of their artworks have been shown in museums or Cartier Flagships around the world.
Alessandro Mendini
We’re excited to report that for the first time ever, an Artist Meets Artisan piece is currently exhibiting in New York at Cartier Hudson Yards! The installation on display is by fabulous Brazilian artist, Beatriz Milhazes, and was realized in 2010 by the Ateliers Cartier. Her colorful mobile piece is called Aquarium, composed of 15 richly ornamented strands and inspired by the patterns and colors of her gorgeous paintings and collages. Out of the range of available gems to adorn her work, Milhazes chose precious and semi-precious stones, along with beads, as if she were choosing the tints of her painter’s palette. Rosettes, floral and abstract ornaments, geometric shapes, rhythmic motifs, and arabesques are combined with unexpected materials, creating a fantastical, theatrical work that is refined and shows impressive attention to detail.
Cartier, Hudson Yards
Milhazes, born in Rio De Janeiro, is well known for her bright and colorful kaleidoscopic collages, prints, paintings and installations which draw on both Latin American and European traditions. Milhazes’ beautifully structured compositions are punctuated by a recurring set of arabesque motifs inspired by Brazilian culture, ceramics, lacework, carnival decoration, music, and Colonial baroque architecture.
As Milhazes explains, “I am seeking geometrical structures, but with freedom of form and imagery taken from different worlds.” The artist has also cited opera, classical and Brazilian popular music as having informed the upbeat energy of her works.
Milhazes Instagram
In addition to Hudson Yards, her work is housed in several major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; Pérez Art Museum, Miami; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sophia, Madrid; 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa and Centre Pompidou, Paris.
Milhazes Instagram
Pop by Cartier Hudson Yards at 20 Hudson Yards Suite 116, New York, NY 10001 through November 23rd to check out Beatriz Milhazes’ Aquariumand follow the artist on Instagram.
Hours: Monday – Saturday at 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
