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(Archive) The Ancestors

The Ancestors transcend mere illumination; they are a manifestation of artistic collaboration, material exploration, and an ode to timeless narratives

This project was part of DDW 2023
Nightjar- the bird of the nocturnal realm — © Oscar Ungvari

The Ancestors, a limited light collection, sculpting goddess-like forms from clay, metal, and wicker. Meticulously crafted in collaboration with Denise Berekmeri over two years, embracing aging materials for a natural, enduring essence. Thulani, Nightjar, Badru: evoking mythic resonance.

"Harmonizing Aesthetics and Form: The Ancestors Limited Edition Light Collection"

The Ancestors - A limited edition light collection, each embodying a unique “goddess” look-alike sculpture meant to be viewed from every single angle.
The series was put together as a collaborative project with weaver Denise Berekmeri. This meticulously crafted light collection was made over the course of a two-year-old research, in which raw materials such as clay, metal, and wicker were considered to be the main drive of inspiration.
It was not only their durability and materiality that has been sought and put into question, but also their way of preserving in time without any additional coating that may help expand their lifetime. Materials that would somehow “age” with time were used in order to create a more natural approach to their raw form even after processing them in various ways. Using old techniques such as clay coiling, multiple cylinder-like shapes were placed on top of one another to create three stand-alone totemic sculptures. Light and rattan weaving play a focal point in these shapes, each reminding of a somehow mythical being of the past, a so-called Ancestor.
Thulani - the quiet one, Nightjar - bird of night, and Badru- born on full moon.

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Badru- born under the full moon's glow — © Oscar Ungvari

Thulani - the contemplative one — © Oascar Ungvari