Tradition, pop culture artfully combine in new glass collection - Luxury Portfolio International

Abstract

By LISA KLEIN Artemest, a leading online marketplace for handmade Italian-made luxury goods, recently decided to play matchmaker, partnering up street artist Bradley Theodore with top Murano glassmakers for a bespoke collection of pop art pieces. "In a time when everything boasts the signet of design - from a toothbrush to a work of art - Artemest cast American artist Bradley Theodore in the hands of Murano artisans as author and provocateur," said Ippolita Rostagno, cofounder and creative director of Artemest, in a release. Images courtesy of Artemest Mr. Theodore, raised in Turks and Caicos and now splitting time between Miami Beach and New York, worked with nine Murano glassmakers - Covi e Puccioni, Fornace Mian, Fratelli Tosi, Luci Italia, Multiforme, Ongaro & Fuga, Specchi Veneziani, Venice Factory and Vetralia - on the collection. Mr. Theodore, on the other hand, is known for his giant urban murals and skull motifs. The one-of-a-kind pieces that rose from the unusual combination mix motifs from Mr. Theodore's tropical island childhood with Venetian symbols into lobster mirrors, pineapple chandeliers and, of course, plenty of skulls in the form of mirrors and sconces. Images courtesy of Artemest Mr. Theodore's visits to the different Venetian makers were documented and cut into a short film on the creative process that is being screened at the exhibit space. The entire BLOW collection is available for purchase from Artemest.