Laura Cesari - Multimedia Art
Magic in everyday obejcts! I work with negative space, neon, glass, and electronics to create luminous sculptues and wearables.
Fire Skirt: Wearable Electronic Couture
Layers of chiffon and satin highlight and diffuse a glowing ribbon of electric light in my Fire Skirt series of wearable electronic couture gowns. Fire Skirt glow couture dresses have been featured in fashion shows, books, and magazines, most notably, ELLE Argentina August 2007, and ELLE Decor Italia November 2008.
Glow Beadwork: Electronic Craft Tutorial and Kit
"Sparkle in sunlight and light up the night! Sew light-emitting diodes (LEDs), conductive wire, and translucent beads to create an illuminated applique that can be made into a bracelet or sewn on a piece of clothing as an embellishment."
I developed this beginning-level beadwork and electronics project kit in collaboration with Maker Shed. I developed the project, drew the diagrams, wrote the instructions, and produced the kits. Featured by Maker Faire, Maker Shed, and Craftzine.
Chrysoara Industrialumina: Neon and Glass Jellyfish Sculpture Installation
Chrysoara Industrialumina: Synthetic Bioluminescent Jellyfish are a mysterious species. Shaped like the forms of the ocean but made of tough industrial everyday materials, they float and glow with a diffused organic light.
I did the glassblowing, neon work, assembly, coding, and installation for these luminous glow jellyfish. I've installed these in a few different galleries, including motion sensors and a programmable chip to have them turn on and flicker when people approach them.
Chrysoara Industrialumina: Synthetic Bioluminescent Jellyfish won awards from the U.S. Grants Foundation, The Russell Grant Froundation, and the Stewart Prize Foundation.
Milennial Neon Furniture
Neon and acrylic chair and coffee table set. I did all the neon glass work and construction. The series is a study in negative space and form, and includes real glass neon tubes, arranged with acrylic panels, wire, beads, acrylic tubing, and other materials. Part of the challenge in this design was that I really wanted them to be actually functional pieces, so you can really sit and stand on them.
This series is a continuation of the Invisible Woman negative space series. The Millenial Furniture project won an award from the U.S. Grants foundation.
Invisible Woman: Gobo Figures
Invisible Woman Unraveling, a life-size negative-space wire figure in steel and copper, holds the volumetric space of a human with only a fraction of the weight and mass. I like working with creative lighting while installing her, throwing intricate distorted spiralized shadows on the walls or the ground below. A study in light, shadow, line, and form, she is one of my favorite installation pieces: she just looks great everywhere.
This piece also has some fun California art lore:
I made this series in 1997 while studying decorative objects and environments with revolutionary bead artist Liza Lou, who encouraged us to look at the deco on everyday things as inspiration. For this piece, I thought of the wrought-iron Volkswagen Beetles of the 1970's: there was one that I would see around Redwood City while I was growing up. I loved how it held the shape of something familiar but was "mostly air"... like us!
Later on, in 2001, I lived at The Creamery, an artists' co-op and gallery in Oakland, CA, where my friend, the amazing sculptor Marco Cochrane, was making life-size solid bronze figures. We talked about using this negative space technique, how it allowed me to make a life-size figure I could pick up and carry around, and I encouraged him to try it, in his own new style of course!