The Le Secq des Tournelles museum, housed in a Gothic church offering the largest collection of old ironwork in the world, currently exhibits the creations of Sara Bran.
Meet this gold lacemaker with unique know-how.
Over the past year, Sara Bran has been hosted in Rouen for an artist residency, which has enabled her to start a conversation with the collections of the museums of the Réunion des Musées Métropolitains. This collaboration gave birth to this exhibition, which aims to create a dialogue between the creations of the jeweler and the pieces from the collections of the Le Secq des Tournelles museum and the Fine Arts museum.
How did you learn this technique of gold lace?
Sara Bran : I trained “on the job” with excellent craftsmen directly in workshops. Previously, I had already trained as a stone sculptor and painter. But when I discovered the techniques of precious metals, the choice was imposed gradually because I liked the possibilities that arise from the technique of manual cutting with the boc-fil saw, the pierced to create jewelry evoking gold lace.
Do you only work gold?
Sara Bran : I also work with silver, but gold because of its ductility (which can be stretched without breaking) allows you to work more in the finesse of the details and on thicknesses approaching that of textile lace. To achieve this result, I conducted research on gold alloys to give them the flexibility of textiles and elasticity.
Are you inspired by different types of lace from elsewhere?
Sara Bran : Indeed, I am inspired by many types of textile lace, from several countries such as Belgium, Spain, but of course also from France. But I am also inspired by patterns encountered in nature which gives spider effects on some of my pieces.
Can you tell us about one of your key pieces, the Point d’Alençon pass?
Sara Bran : This piece required several hundred hours of work! It is a work which stages stitches identical to those used in Alençon textile lace (very fine needle lace) and which assembles them with stitches and patterns that are unique to me and that I draw. Through this room, you can see how I like to play with light and shadow!
What are the pieces that inspired you during your residency in Rouen and in particular the Le Secq des Tournelles museum?
Sara Bran : Indeed, I have also reinterpreted ironwork objects from the Secq des Tournelles which echo the themes that are dear to me. The 4 chapters are summarized in the catalog of the exhibition with the flowers which are omnipresent in the collections and in many pieces. Then, I evoke the depths with the baroque universe of sea monsters, illustrated in particular on keys and locks and a great classic, hearts. Finally, I evoke time through a dialogue with a masterpiece and unique in the world. Entitled the lantern crib, it is a very large ornate wrought iron lantern hanging in the Nave. To highlight it, I created 2 openwork gold pieces which are exposed under the lantern crib, mirrored and which interact with each other. With great pride, one of the 2 lanterns from my two works, entitled Light Lace 2018, will be acquired by the museum and will join the collections!
Interview the Kyra Brenzinger
For more information :
Sara Bran exhibition “The gold of secrets” – Le Secq des Tournelles Museum in Rouen – June 8 – November 4, 2018
http://museelesecqdestournelles.fr/fr
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