There are doors that once opened unfold worlds of unexpected imagery, and this is what happens when one steps into Sunset Yogurt, the new contemporary glass jewellery gallery located in fondamenta San Gioacchin, in Castello. It will be immediately clear that this is no ordinary shop, but rather a space where art, debate and performance merge together to give shape to beautiful, unique and witty pieces of jewellery.
The person behind this project is Venetian artist Cosima Montavoci, who recently returned to Venice after 10 years in Amsterdam, where she graduated at the Gerrit Rietveld Fine Art Academy, always investigating new communication paths for her preferred matter: glass. Her initial training, though, took place no less than on the island of Murano, inside a furnace, thus in a very macho and not exactly female-friendly environment, where she resisted for over six months. Acquired the techniques, she fled abroad to experience the world and perfect her art.
Her work is inspired by the people and events around her, in an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding reality. Cosima believes in the beauty of imperfection, in the uniqueness of every individual and handmade artefact. Every piece is made from scratch and the human body is the starting point of her research, dissected and objectified, explored and transformed, to convey new messages and sometimes combine with other medias, such as stainless steel, leather, resin and more.
The gallery is located inside a former butcher shop and she wanted to respect its original destination, not making any drastic renovation, but only brightening up the space. On the occasion of the opening, in fact, a meat tartare was served during a performance.
The furniture is minimal, with both vintage and contemporary objects, most rescued from an old attic in Amsterdam, like the curvaceous dummies that guard the space when she's away, respectively named Ramona, Veronika, Linda and Betty.
Speaking about the jewellery, it stands out with elegance. The intense colours and the finely shaped designs result in timeless pieces able to enhance the personality of those who wear them. There are several collections and each is so unique that I invite you to browse directly on Sunset Yogurt's website. Personally, I fell in love with Alex's human face stud earrings and necklaces, which explore the concept of beauty in a sophisticated and charming manner, but also have a crush on Thingness, where the protagonists are human body parts (soon on show at the Milano Fashion Week). My mother, instead, was immediately attracted by the strikingly shiny red beads that compose the Petra collection and by the daisy-shaped necklaces of Margherita, although for herself she would choose a piece from the refined Black & White series.
The gallery is open by appointment only and for the launch of new collections and special events, many of which will take place in concomitance with the Biennale d'Arte. In consideration of the space itself, food too will be a key element of the soirées. I can't really tell you more because the projects Cosima is working at are quite a few and in collaboration with other artists, but if you wish to stay up to date on what's going on, I suggest you follow her Facebook/Instagram pages or subscribe to the Newsletter.
By the way, here I have spoken exclusively about Sunset Yogurt, but Cosima is active on more ends and has exhibited sculptures in mixed media. Particularly interesting were the From Dust to Dust and the Organic Memory shows, both realised in Italy. As for Sunset Yogurt, after being selected at the Sieraad Art Fair in Amsterdam in 2016 and being featured on Glamour UK in May, June and July 2017, the next step is the Milano Fashion Week. And -of course- her very own events!
Personally, I feel enthusiastic about the fact that a young woman in her early 30s has chosen Venice as the place to launch her art and I am already looking forward to participating in the next events!
Finally glass exceeds the sphere of craftsmanship to enter and communicate with the world of art, intended as live discussion and reflection on what is happening around us. Beautiful objects crafted by hand with the sensitivity that only a female eye (and hands) are able to create. Please, don't hesitate to contact Cosima to visit the atelier and remember to keep an eye on her events, I promise you won't be disappointed!
Fondamenta San Gioacchin, Castello 494/A
Contact: +39 3703689211