Umbra
Although commonly used in reference to celestial bodies, Umbra or the darkest part of a shadow is a crucial part of Aida Bergsen’s work and in connection to her total fascination about how light and shadow interact. She feels that capturing the interplay between the two forces is one of the best ways to draw the wearer to a deeper level when it comes to a piece of jewellery. In other words, there cannot be any shape or form without the contribution of light and shade. Reaching the desired form then depends on how one harnesses light and shadow, hereby giving existence to what is non-existent. “Personally I prefer to focus more on the shadow than the light. It is a personal choice that allows me to create more meaningful objects, wearable sculptures”, she says. To this end, she has combined gold and silver even more in this collection, with an emphasis on mixing oxidization with high polish. The aim is to create a drama between the brightness of the
stones against the theatricality of the dark metals, e.g. rose-cut diamonds set in oxidized silver. “These are pieces that appeal to one’s spirituality beyond the mere aesthetic value”.
