Barbara D'Ambra's "Insinuations": A Sensual Exploration of Intimacy in Jewelry Design

Winner of the Silver A' Jewelry, Eyewear and Watch Design Award in 2023

Barbara D'Ambra, an industrial designer, created the "Insinuations" collection as part of her university work in 2016. The collection quickly gained recognition beyond the academic sphere, earning her a spot at Schmuck, one of the world's most prominent international fairs for jewelry, in 2018 and 2019. D'Ambra was also a notable finalist for the Metropolitan Design Center Award and received two Creation Grants from the National Fund for the Arts in 2018 and 2021. Her work was recognized with the Good Argentine Design Hallmark in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022.

The "Insinuations" collection is inspired by the human need for intimacy, which D'Ambra believes is not limited to sexual intimacy but also encompasses closeness and emotional connection. Each piece in the collection is designed to provoke curiosity and invite exploration, raising questions about the use and perception of personal space and privacy.

What sets the "Insinuations" collection apart is its balance between artistic and conceptual value and functionality. Each piece is handcrafted in silver and polished to perfection, creating a unique piece with a surreal image. The design, created parametrically through 3D programs, challenged the production to realize all the details to achieve the perfect final result.

D'Ambra's design philosophy focuses on creating pieces with a minimalist and pure aesthetic, using clean forms and neutral materials to highlight the form. She strives to tell an idea through the minimum expression, using materials in the most neutral and precise way possible to generate immaculate surfaces. Her work makes use of abstraction and reduction to suggest an idea without completely defining it, offering the viewer a sense of doubt that can sometimes lead to complicity or curiosity, but also uncertainty.

In conclusion, Barbara D'Ambra's "Insinuations" collection is a testament to the power of design to explore and express complex human emotions and experiences. By striking a balance between artistic value and functionality, D'Ambra has created a collection that is not only beautiful but also deeply meaningful and thought-provoking.