DO’s new stone candle holders are a classical delight

Studio DO has recently launched its latest collection, ‘Abra Candelabra’ at Galerie NO Gallery in Belgium. The collection comprises a series of candleholders and is part of the studio’s Lux project. Made out of stone, the candleholders appear like organic pieces that have natural indents to accommodate candles. The artist and designer duo at Studio DO has created this series employing minimum interventions, much like all their other offerings.

Founded by Dana Seachuga, a contemporary jewellery designer and Octave Vandeweghe, an artist, Studio DO is an Antwerp based stone-cutting atelier. The workshop was borne out of Seachuga and Vandeweghe’s common passion for stones, inclination towards functional heritage, inquisitiveness towards exploring materials, and their desire to create functional stone pieces with minimum physical intervention.

Bearing a stark resemblance to the designs of Studio DO, the ‘Abra Candelabra’ collection is almost immediately recognisable as the workshop’s creation by its rough appearance. The series, however, stands out for its concept: connecting stone and fire in an ageless bond. Reminiscent of the primitive usage of stones to spark fire, this series of designs appear like a visual manifestation of the archaic process of kindling fire. Beyond establishing this connection between the two natural elements, the design of the candleholders satisfies the contemporary urge for a modest composition, while also bearing a resemblance to primitive environments. In doing so, it projects comfort in the space it occupies.

Other projects by Studio DO that will be on display at Galerie NO Gallery are ‘Vessels’ and ‘Gemma ex Lapide’.

‘Vessels’, an upcoming project by the studio, involves the research and experimentation of stones to develop them into functional objects like vessels and mirrors. The first design of this project is a solitary rock piece that has been designed to act as a vessel for flowers.

The ‘Gemma ex Lapide’ project comprises three series, ‘Blunts’, ‘Minimals’ and ‘Studies’, which are essentially a combination of jewellery pieces with a rock holder for the jewellery. Fashioned into holders by core-drilling and extracting a chunk of the stone, these pieces appear organic and untouched, adding exponentially to their charm.

While the ‘Blunts’ series is designed to flaunt pieces of contrasting jewellery as part of the stone holders, making them appear bolder and more eccentric, the ‘Minimals’ series is more sober in appearance and accommodates jewellery made out of the same material as the stone holders. The collection of jewellery that makes up the series ‘Studies’ appears sculptural, combining the stones with several pieces of jewellery.

The ‘Abra Candelabra’ collection will remain on display (accessible by appointment) alongside ‘Vessels’ and ‘Gemma ex Lapide’ from 4th December 2021 to 14th February 2022 at Galerie NO Gallery, Dumortierlaan 112, 8300 Knokke-Heist, Belgium.