CGD23

Zdeněk Vacek launched his solo career with the Base collection with two lines which thematized the inverse motifs of erosion and bones. In these earthy structures showing a distinctly haptic dimension, and for which he received the title of Jewelry Designer of the Year in 2020, the designer aimed to revisit the origins of his career and return to the craft without necessarily renouncing new technologies. His work is in fact based in connecting meticulous handcraft with 3D design in a digital environment. He seems to enjoy interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting the art of jewelry with an emotional, visual presentation as well as an intense relationship with his customers and the public, whom he often invites behind the scenes to show them his goldsmithing methods by organizing exhibitions and workshops. Base was the first stand-alone gold collection, and workshop participants were also given the chance to try their hand at working with pure gold. In his bespoke production of luxury jewelry, Zdeněk Vacek always tries to capture the character of the wearer, and these items show his meticulous skill in working with gold and precious gems. He also continues to search for new methods and contexts. His most recent collection is Silver Gen 925, in which he builds on the original Base collection and further works with the motif of bones. Real animal bones were most likely the oldest objects people used to decorate their bodies, and this paleolithic aesthetic remains attractive to this day, seen in our fascination with “primitive” craft, rituals, as well as manual and tactile experiences. This series reinterprets the Bones collection in silver and, according to the designer himself, was just waiting for him to develop it. But these aren’t mere copies of the original gold jewelry, as the development of new products in an entirely new material with very different characteristics required months of preparation. The lower production costs for silver jewelry also make for a lower price, allowing a wider spectrum of customers to buy them. The silver Bones are not only a showcase of high-quality, accessible design, but make it clear that one needn’t fold under the pressure to make new collections all the time, but that variations on the diverse structures of organic morphology are valuable in themselves, as is the diligent exploration of new material possibilities.

Andrea Březinová