Lalique 2024 UK Web

First page Previous page 20-21 Next page Last page

ART & DESIGN

EIGHT DECADES BY JAMES TURRELL, AN ODE TO DREAMS

We are honoured to have collaborated once again with the artist James Turrell, who has inspired the Lalique crystal works to reach new heights. A bold and aesthetically assertive departure from traditional forms, the Eight Decades decanter cradles an exceptional single malt from the famed distillery The Glenturret. It celebrates generations of exquisite craftsmanship, but also a milestone in the life of the artist, who has just turned eighty.

BY ISABELLE BUNISSET

R eleased as an ultra-exclusive, limited edition, this decanter offers a poetic tribute to the meticulous expertise of both Lalique’s master glassmakers (since 1888) and The Glenturret’s master whisky makers (since 1763). Here, modernity embraces centuries of rich traditions, linking three destinies tied to three evocative names – James Turrell, Lalique and The Glenturret. Their very mention has a magical effect. Turrell’s knack for taking on challenges – and bringing dreams to life – is well known. An irreverent visionary, he breaks down rigid conventions and mindsets. His work dazzles and astounds, encouraging us to question our assumptions. Both outside and ahead of his time, Turrell’s creations always feature more than a touch of the unexpected. For him, every project is a new beginning, and the intriguing and fascinating Eight Decades decanter is a perfect illustration of this approach, suggesting an openness to mystery. As before, Turrell has thrust Lalique into modernity while offering a journey into his own universe. The magic of this unique piece emerges upon examination. Its impeccable, pared-down silhouette and its harmony of contrasts create a brilliant exaltation of beauty and balance: a self-aware and intense presence, a melding of the masculine and the feminine. The spare geometry of the rectangular base, with its tapered straight lines, thus anchors the decanter’s callipygian luxuriance and its sensual, rounded shoulders, whereas these flowing curves offer a vibrant riposte to the piece’s vertical, horizontal and diagonal axes. Exacting, elegant and pure, the overall effect is that of an aesthetic distillation, a moving reinterpretation of the Range Rider and Purple Sage perfume bottles, also conceived by Turrell and produced by Lalique.

THE SPARE GEOMETRY OF THE RECTANGULAR BASE, WITH ITS TAPERED STRAIGHT LINES, ANCHORS THE DECANTER’S CALLIPYGIAN LUXURIANCE AND ITS SENSUAL, ROUNDED SHOULDERS.

Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease