Maître Gims, the renowned French rap artist, has created a magnificent vase for the Daum crystal factory. It is not the first time that the Nancy crystal manufacturer has teamed up with a major name. Indeed, the company has an array of collaborations to boast about, including with painter and sculptor Salvador Dalí and with drummer Katché.
“It was a real human encounter. These collaborations are the strength of our family business,” asserts Vanessa Sitbon, communications and digital manager at Daum. She goes on to say that, “we wanted to partner with Gims and he wanted to develop his art.”
Daum x Gims, where arts meet
Before becoming known for his songs, Gims studied Fine Arts (graphic design, communication and applied arts). Inspired by his Congolese origins, the singer sought to "pay tribute to Africa" with this vase called Origin.
It took nearly a year to create the vase. After learning about the techniques used by Maison Daum, Gims made a sketch of his design. “After this meeting, he immediately drew a vase. He expected some touch-ups. But this drawing was so technical that we were stunned," continues Vanessa Sitbon. The pieces were then handcrafted by the craftspeople at Daum using the lost wax casting technique.
Crafted in blue crystal paste, the vase stands 56 centimetres tall and weighs 30 kilograms. The resulting creation is a sculpture-like vase with the features of African masks and Art Deco influences, thus reflecting the singer's bicultural background between France and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The piece will be released in a limited edition of eight units to be sold through the Maison Daum distribution network. Moreover, when the health situation so allows, a vase “will be sold on the occasion of a charity sale organised by Gims for the benefit ofUNICEF ”, states the communications manager.