Artist
Paola Rodriguez
Paola Rodriguez Arias is originally from Bogota, Colombia. She studied Accessories and Jewellery Design at the Accademia di Costume e di Moda in Rome where she started making collections of sculptural jewellery using unconventional materials, leading to an interest in ceramic design.
She moved to London in 2001 to study Ceramic Design at Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design. After living in London for 11 years she moved to Geneva to create her own ready-to-wear fashion brand. After becoming disillusioned with the fast pace of the fashion industry, she started creating one of a kind pieces, combining her interest in art and textiles, inspired by her Colombian roots and the rich tradition of handcrafts and folklore.
“My main influence is the Latin American tradition of the ex-voto motifs. These were small painted images that were used in religious settings to give thanks or to seek grace. I’m also interested in symbols or motifs in ancient civilizations which were used not only for aesthetic purposes but also to manipulate the hidden or unexplained forces of the universe.”
