Metalepsis Projects is a collaborative effort - a true harmony of tastes. Victoria Cho and Astrid Chastka, previously employed as architects, took their language of design and structure and created something new. Taking inspirations from some fine art giants, the collection seeks to take jewelry to another level.
SARAH: You are very inspired by heavy fine art and architectural influences (e.g. Sol LeWitt). Is there anything happening in contemporary culture that you find really significant and
motivating in that same way?
ASTRID CHASTKA: I am inspired by pretty much everything on the art blog But Does It Float. I’ve recently been seeing a lot of generative artworks there that are interesting; the computer is such a powerful tool. Although Victoria and I are both really interested in the balance between technology and handcraft, I’m equally impressed by extremes at both ends of that spectrum. Also, I think that the way musical artists like Nicolas Jaar and James Blake are chopping and distorting and pacing their music in new ways inspires me to try to think about wearable items differently.
VICTORIA CHO: Urban fabrics, such as New York City, Berlin, Mumbai, etc. are really inspiring to me. They are the greatest and most complex living organisms. Especially now I find the Occupiers around the country inspiring, not only because of the ideals that bring them together but also by how they physically inhabit and transform public spaces.
S: You work in bronze, a very sculptural metal. It makes your jewelry seem like little monuments. Tell us about that.
VC: We came across bronze in a more accidental way. We just fell in love with the material the first time we had a test sample made. Bronze is also a very common material for architectural hardware such as door knobs and knocks, and we have always been intrigued by these beautiful but utilitarian objects.
S: All the shapes of your pendants are related but different, like the way we were told to think of snowflakes as children. Whats the significance to each shape? Or their relationship?
AC: Some of the pieces have a direct relationship in that a negative space in one shape equals the positive geometry of another shape. They fit together like puzzle pieces but can’t be assembled as a necklace in that way. We then designed more detailed versions of the smaller, removed shapes that played on their geometries.
VC: The basis of the collection is more about the whole than the individual pieces. We designed for the possibility of relationships that the pieces are able to create.
S: When you guys are dressing, do you work around jewelry? Are you minimalists?
VC: Definitely!! All about accessories. More so lately, my wardrobe has gotten simpler and cleaner, but I love unique fabrics, textures and prints.
AC: I am a natural born maximalist who has undergone years of architectural training in an attempt to eradicate this tendency. It didn’t work, but at least now I am able to appreciate both ends of the spectrum. Some of the pieces in this collection are very minimal and others not so much; I like that.S: Who are some of your favorite designers?
AC: I usually like to see what Maria Cornejo and Rodarte are up to. More often I’m inspired by people on the periphery of architecture like Do Ho Suh [the detail with which he manipulates fabric in 3 dimensions is mind-blowing] and Rachel Whiteread. I also think Confetti Systems is an awesome creative brand.
VC: Some of my friends. Their talents inspire me. Right now, I love everything from Tisci at Givenchy and I also really admire Hussein Chalayan.
S: If you could befriend anyone in the world who would it be?
AC: Buckminster Fuller! What an exciting man! He thought about so many things in so many different ways. He never stopped analyzing the universe and inventing things for a better life in it. He was interested in practicality and efficiency yet created some of the most beautiful designs of his time. I also hope he would take me for a ride in his Dymaxion car.
VC: James Turrell. He’s this old white-bearded man (and obviously a very well-respected and renown artist) with the most unpretentious attitude. I saw him once at a lecture and I was just imagining how awesome it would be to hear all his stories about the art scene in the 60s in LA. But i also find extraordinary his vision and ability to use light/space with such malleability. And if the famous Roden crater ever gets finished, I’d like a private tour.
S: How did you two meet and begin to work together?
VC: We worked at the same architectural firm in New York. Interestingly, we didn’t really became friends until after leaving.
AC: Our first idea for a collection was to laser cut patterns of Victorian lace into stainless steel. We learned a lot about how NOT to make jewelry doing that collection. Victoria moved to LA this fall so now Metalepsis Projects is a way for us to keep in touch and continue creating together over a great distance.
S: What is the relationship between art and fashion?
VC: I think fashion is art! Much of contemporary art/fashion is informed and shaped by new technologies, culture, craftsmanship and above all, a need for artistic expression.
Metalepsis necklaces are available for purchase in the IDLM store.