(6 January 2016) Fashion, decoration, design. The Art: 1 New Museum & Art Space in Jakarta displays masterpieces of modern art, fascinating and charming contemporary works. And even Italy has found a space of its own thanks to Sicilian textile designer Valentina D’Amato, who arrived in recent months in the Indonesian capital: “My exhibition was sponsored by the Italian Institute of Culture of the city” explains the artist, who exposed a mini collection of home and fashion accessories (scarves, scarves, pillows). “Today – continues Valentina – I have to thank Michela Magrì (director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Jakarta) for giving me this opportunity. The exhibition was part of the events for the week of Italian culture. My creations were presented in October in a corner of the exhibition in a prestigious shopping center. Today, thanks to this experience, ten pieces of my collection are on display at the art gallery in Jakarta. These are pieces between the craftsmanship and artistic. The design is mine, it’s all original, it’s born from a creative act. Plus there’s the manual act that creates product. The combination of manual and creative is the reason my products are appreciated by galleries worldwide. These creations will soon be on display in Singapore (January 21-24).” Valentina’s decorations and drawings lead the viewer to magical, mysterious, metaphysical, and isolated worlds. The sources of inspiration for her work – all made in pure silk and hand painted – are art, architecture, music, film and nature with its multitude of forms and colors. Everything is filtered through her sensibility and stylized in new ways, combining dream, reality and innovation. For Valentina, the experience in Jakarta was positive (“it was constructive to compare my art with batik, a color technique used for clothes, and it was also important to meet with local entrepreneurs”) but she’s already looking to the future. “I’m getting ready to introduce my creations to the American public, as I’m trying to export my products in several stores in the United States. Last year, I was even invited to Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles, where I presented a book capturing my work.” (PO / Gil)
