The collection is based on the impressions of reading Ovid’s “Letters from Pontus” and “Sorrowful Elegies”. In the 1st century A.D., the Roman poet was exiled to a distant city on the Black Sea coast, to the outskirts of the civilized world, where he closed his days. All his pain, loss, loneliness and perceived unfairness were poured out in his last poems. However, in these same poems we see the invariable strength of the spirit, the readiness of culture to resist a hostile environment, the inextinguishable hope of deliverance, inner freedom, the confidence that the woes embodied in verse will remain in history and art for centuries, and this is their great value and victory.
A collection of pendants made of transparent, almost untreated topaz, aquamarine and quartz with laser engraving of Ovid’s poems was created for installation in the National Archaeological Museum of Adria (Italy) in 2019, where it was exhibited together with vessels made of ancient Roman glass from the 1st century A.D. Each piece corresponds to its own vessel, giving a reference to the tradition of sending letters in bottles to the sea for future generations. Transparent pendants look like petrified waters of the raging elements, through which the poet risked his life to reach the place of exile, or like pieces of ice, first seen and amazed the poet in the north, or like frozen accumulated tears that turned into poems. This is a conversation about the transformation of the fragile and strong, fluid and solid, eternal and fleeting.
This collection was presented at exhibition ORNAMENTA II 2019: Jewels between history and design. The main idea of ORNAMENTA II was that contemporary jewelry is shown side by side to ancient glass objects especially exhibited for the occasion.
Exhibitions:
2021, 8th of October to 10th of November, art gallery “Lalabeyou”, Madrid, Spain
2020/2021, 12th of December 2020 to 13th of February 2021, art gallery “Alliages”, Lille, France
2019, 12th of May to 24th of October, The National Archaeological Museum Of Adria, Adria, Italy
“I often converse with you, often enjoy your converse. Then ’tis hard to say how happy I am, how bright I think that hour. Then, if you can credit it, I con- ceive myself harboured in heaven’s abode, dwelling with the blessed gods. Again when I have returned hither I leave behind heaven and the gods above.” Ovid, “Letters from the Black Sea”, book III / 5 (aquamarine, plexiglass, resina) / “То я внимаю тебе, то я с тобою говорю. Как мне бывает тогда хорошо, передать я не в силах; Самыми светлыми мне кажутся эти часы. Веришь ли, мнится тогда, что я очутился на небе, Что получил я удел в сонме блаженных богов.” Овидий, “Письма с Понта”, книга III / 5 (аквамарин, органическое стекло, резина) / “Mi e’difficile il dire quanto allora io goda, e quanto al mio spirito sia lieta quell’ora. Se alquanto mi credi parmi allora di essere accolto in cielo, e conversare cogli Dii beati.” Ovidio “Lettere dal Ponto”, libro III / 5 (aquamarina, plexiglass, resina)
At the exhibition all necklaces are inspired and presented together with the objects of the ancient glass. Translucent blue blown glass balsamarium with a handle. Roman age (1st century AD); necropolis of Ca ’Cima. / На выставке украшения представлены вместе с предметами античного стекла. Полупрозрачный голубой бальзамарий из дутого стекла с ручкой. Древний Рим, 1 век н.э., некрополь Ca’ Cima. / Balsamario a bottiglia monoansata in vetro soffiato di colore azzurro traslucido. Età romana (I sec. d.C.); necropoli di Ca’ Cima.
“Every letter that you have read in my whole book was formed by me during the troubled days of my journey. Either the Adriatic saw me writing these words in the midst of his waters, while I shivered in cold December.” Ovid, “Sorrows”, book I / 11 (topaz, plexiglass, resina) / “Все до последней строки, что прочтешь ты в книжечке этой, Все написано мной в трудных тревогах пути. Видела Адрия нас, когда средь открытого моря Я в ледяном декабре дрог до костей и писал.” Овидий, “Скорбные элегии”, книга I / 11 (топаз, органическое стекло, резина) / “Ogni lettera che tu hai letto in tutto il mio piccolo libro, io l’ho scritta durante i giorni angosciati del viaggio. O questi versi mi vide scrivere in mezzo alle sue onde l’Adriatico, mentre tremavo al freddo di dicembre.” Ovidio “Tristezze”, libro I / 11 (topazo, plexiglass, resina)
Pear-shaped unguentarium (small glass bottle) in green blown glass. Roman Age (I-II century AD); Adria, Italy, Bocchi collection. / Бальзамарий грушевидной формы из зелёного стекла, сделанный в технике выдувания. Римская эпоха (1-2 век н.э.); Адрия, Италия, коллекция Бокки. / Balsamario a corpo piriforme in vetro soffiato verde chiaro Età romana (I-II sec. d.C.); Adria, Italia, collezione Bocchi.
“Beyond are the Bosporus and the Tanais l and the Scythian marshes and the scattered names of a region hardly known at all. Farther still is nothing but a cold that forbids habitation. Alas ! how near to me is the margin of the world ! But my father- land is far away, far my dearest wife, and all that after these two was once sweet to me. Yet even so these things are present, though I cannot touch them; to my mind all are visible.” Ovid, “Sorrows”, book III /4 (topaz, plexiglass, resina) / “Дальше — Босфор, Танаис, Киммерийской Скифии топи, Еле знакомые нам хоть по названью места; А уж за ними — ничто: только холод, мрак и безлюдье. Горе! Как близко пролег круга земного предел! Родина так далеко! Далеко жена дорогая, Все, что в мире ценил, чем дорожил, — далеко! Отнято все, но так, что хотя рукой не достанешь, Отнятое могу видеть очами души.” Овидий “Скорбные элегии” Книга III /4 (топаз, оргстекло, смола) / Oltre non resta che il Bosforo, il Tanai e la scitica palude e pochi nomi di località appena note. Più avanti nulla vi è se non l’inabitabile freddo. Ahimè, come mi è vicino l’ultimo lembo del mondo! Lontana invece è la patria, lontana la carissima consorte, e tutto ciò che, dopo di loro, mi era dolce. Queste cose tuttavia sono così presenti, che se non posso toccarle col corpo, tutte le posso contemplare con l’animo. Ovidio “Tristezze”, libro III / 4 / “Bosporos et Tanais superant Scythiaeque paludes uix satis et noti nomina pauca loci. ulterius nihil est nisi non habitabile frigus. Heu quam uicina est ultima terra mihi! At longe patria est, longe carissima coniunx, quicquid et haec nobis post duo dulce fuit. Sic tamen haec adsunt, ut quae contingere non est corpore: sunt animo cuncta uidenda meo.” Ovidio
Colorless blown glass balm balsamarium. Roman age (first half I century AD); Adria, collection Bocchi. / Бальзамарий из дутого бесцветного стекла. Римская эпоха (первая половина I в.н.э.); Адрия, коллекция Бокки. / Balsamario a corpo sferoidale in vetro soffiato incolore Età romana (prima metà I sec. d.C.); Adria, collezione Bocchi.
”When I had passed in my course the Isthmus with its two seas and had taken the second ship of my journey into exile, my writing of verses amid the wild roar of the sea brought wonder, I think, to the Aegean Cyclades.’’
“that the yielding air might give way before my rapid flight and I might on a sudden behold the sweet soil of my native land, the faces in my lonely home, my loyal friends, and foremost of all the dear features of my wife” Ovid “Sorrows”, book III / 8;7 (rose quartz) “Чтобы раздвинуть, летя, воздушные легкие струи, Чтобы увидел я вновь милую землю отцов, Дальний покинутый дом, и друзей, не забывших о друге, И наконец, наконец, милую сердцу жену!” Овидий “Скорбные элегии”, книга III / 8; 7 (розовый кварц)
“Whatever I say shall pass to the setting sun from its rising and the East shall bear witness to the voice of the West. Across the land, across deep waters I shall be heard, and mighty shall be the cry of my lament.” Ovid, “Sorrows” Book IV/9 / (aquamarine, plexiglass, resina) “Ibit ad occasum quicquid dicemus ob ortu, testis et Hesperiae vocis Eous erit. Trans ego tellurem, trans altas audiar undas, et gemitus vox est magna futura mei” Ovidio “Tristia”, book IV/9; / (acquamarina, plexiglass, resina) “Что ни скажу, полетит далеко на восток и на запад, В странах восхода внимать будут закатным словам, Буду сквозь толщу земли и сквозь глуби морские услышан, Отзвуком громким в веках каждый отдастся мой стон.” Овидий “Скорбные элегии” Книга IV/9 / (аквамарин, органическое стекло, резина) “Arriverà all’occaso tutto ciò che io dirò dall’oriente, e testimone sarà Eòo di ciò che avrà detto l’Esperia; oltre la terra, oltre gli abissi delle acque sarò udito, e l’eco del mio gemito si farà sempre più grande.” Ovidio “Tristezze”, libro IV/9 / (acquamarina, plexiglass, resina)
