Jewelry Designer Turns To Ancient Source For Artistic Inspiration
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MEDIA CONTACT: IAN SAUDE, T. +1.805.784.0967 (EXT. 402) | E. media@iansaude.com
(Los Angeles, CA)— If there is something California jewelry designer Ian Saudē has learned in his almost 14 years living abroad, it is that inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. After making his home tucked away in the Himalayan capital of Katmandu for more than a decade, the designer insists that his work is heavily inspired by Buddhist principals, although most designs bear little resemblance to the typical ethnic jewelry of the region. Meticulously crafted by Italian and French-trained goldsmiths, his new collection of nature and modern-art inspired pieces in 18K are more typical of an edgy boutique or high-end jeweler than an Indian stone market. Nevertheless, the designer stresses that it is the way he derives inspiration that remains true to his ideals, whether or not the actual style of the pieces reflect any traditional Eastern iconography.
“I know that it is an unlikely source of artistic inspiration, but actually I am greatly influenced by Buddhist philosophy,” Saudē explains. “Most people equate Buddhism with the familiar Zen aesthetic, which is very spare and uncluttered. It always conveys a sense of simplicity, of peace. Tantric Buddhism on the other hand, which predominates the Himalayan region, usually appears quite complicated in comparison. It’s filled with so many bright colors and deities and elaborate details that even on the surface it can appear quite busy — even loud and confusing! When you understand the origins of these two traditions, however, their styles aren’t really in contradiction. They just relate to two different aspects of the mind.”
Saudē elaborates further, “Zen stresses the empty, unadorned essence of mind, while Tantric Buddhism emphasizes the cognizant or aware nature of mind and its unfettered capacity to know and experience every conceivable kind of phenomena: good, bad or neutral. These two aspects are actually a unity — like water and wetness. They cannot be separated, and one is only known through experiencing the other.
“When designing, these two aspects are always something that I bear in mind. I am fascinated by complex shapes, by unique colors and materials, and by complicated creative methods or ‘jeweler-ly’ techniques. But in the end, all the details need to make sense in terms of the piece. Once I hit on something I love — the essence of the piece, — then I go back and strip away anything extrinsic. No matter how complicated a design is to make, the net effect needs to look effortless: almost as if it was formed by Nature without any human intervention! This is the essence of my style.”
When citing the rather sexy images that are currently being used to market his collection, and questioning their relevance to Buddhist principles, Saude jokingly admits that they are, in fact, a bit of the departure. Still he insists on the ability of the creative power of mind to permeate all phenomena, even the seemingly less deserving or more provocative ones! “Art is for the mind,” he says. “When you stop and experience something truly beautiful, regardless of what it is, at that moment the object and the subject cease to exist as discrete entities. Their separateness dissolves. That is the moment of unity. Many artists strive for their entire lives to create works that foster this experience in people, even if the experience, itself, only lasts for a moment.”
Saude adds, “in my opinion, for a design to have depth or a “spiritual quality,” it doesn’t need to scream ‘spirituality’. That is actually quite counterproductive. Instead, it needs to come from a place of balance and openness — an internal harmony. The most inspired design arises out of a frame of reference that transcends the limitations of the actual piece. Lisa de Giocondo wasn’t the most beautiful or unique woman to ever have her portrait painted, but the genius of the Mona Lisa still fascinates people who take the time to look carefully. It completely transcends the subject matter or the materials — just a piece of canvas and a few ounces of paint.”
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