Jewellery and ceramics unite in a new partnership between CVC Stones and Young Sook Park. Charles de Viel Castel and the Korean ceramic artist have collaborated on a limited-edition ceramics collection, available exclusively at Moda Operandi. Comprising Park’s ‘Moon Jars’ and 25 one-of-a-kind pendants, the collection intertwines intricate craftsmanship with fragile materials in a celebration of both designers’ skills.
From his base in New York, de Viel Castel sets diamonds in stones found on beaches, the resulting pendants expressing both a hypnotising tension and an irresistible tactility. It is a technique he has explored further in Park’s sculptural ‘Moon Jars’, which bloom imperfect spheres in porcelain.
‘I never imagined working with such an established artist like Young Sook Park, but it happened indirectly thanks to social media,’ de Viel Castel tells us. ‘She is the one who picked us. I have always been very inspired by art and design, and ceramics is a natural medium that aligns well with my craft.’
The new collection in ceramic is naturally extremely fragile, proving a challenge for both designers. ‘We had many sleepless nights hoping we wouldn’t break any of the jars,’ de Viel Castel admits. ‘We practised and did thousands of drills on old broken pieces of jars before we felt confident enough to do one. We had to use lights to see how thick parts of jars are. Parts are less fragile and then we adjusted the design to this. We used special drills and took a lot more time doing every hole. Thankfully we didn’t break any so far.’
Laying diamonds into the ceramic is an incredibly precarious process, requiring the ‘Moon Jars’ to submit to drilling for the inlaying process, testing the limits of the material. ‘By adding diamonds to her pieces we are pushing the boundaries of how one might view ceramics,’ de Viel Castel adds. ‘While they are adorned with a precious stone, there is something very natural about the materials, the forms and the aesthetic. Our aesthetic is a modern perspective on a very ancient and traditional craft.’
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