Ana Maria Design: Extrusion

Date
29 September 2010

London based multidisciplinary designer Ana Maria has recently designed a jewellery range in collaboration with Unibox, recycling off cuts from their range of aluminium extrusions. The range, Extrusion, looks at the engineering properties of the material and manipulates them to demonstrate their tactility and diversity, to create “an almost organic representation of their forms”. These are then anodised in a range of metallic finishes to further enhance the unique properties of the material. Intrigued, we met Ana to find out more…

It’s a move away from the leather and rope jewellery we first saw you create but there’s an aesthetic and style that runs throughout your work, what has influences your work to date?

As time goes by I seem to continually develop my love (borderline obsession) for materials and the way they can implement my work. I am passionate about using industrial materials and techniques and applying them in a way that demonstrates the tactility and diversity of the material being used. I have always envisioned each range to be different from the next. It’s what keeps me on my toes. My inspiration tends to come from a number of different areas, for instance the ‘Bird of Paradise Necklace’ from the Leather rope collection comes from the elaborate mating rituals of Birds of Paradise. The Cicinnurus and Parotia species which have highly ritualized dances.The wings are rounded and in some species structurally modified on the males in order to make sound. Other influences have come from natural forms, mathematics (geometry) and insects (currently beetles).

You launched the range last week at Tom Dixon’s new shop at Portobello Dock as part of London Design week, what was the reaction?

Yes the Extrusion Jewellery was launched as part of Tom Dixon’s new shop which was a great success. I was a bit nervous to be honest as the pieces are quite bold and challenging, but surprisingly people seemed to love them. With this collection I was more interested about educating people about the extrusion process and highlighting the tactility of the material but at the same time producing a range of wearable jewellery.

What are you working on at the moment?

I am currently interested in the crystallisation processes and the way you can control crystal growth. I am also interested in arthropods but am keeping my options open to see what other routes I may encounter along my investigation process.

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About the Author

Will Hudson

Will founded It’s Nice That in 2007 and is now director of the company. Once one of the main contributors to the site, he has stepped back from writing as the business has expanded to become The HudsonBec Group.

will@thehudsonbecgroup.com

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