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Swarovski Unveils Arik Levy Exhibition

The exhibition cast light on the chaton, commonly known as the diamond cutting technique for crystal.

Nicholas Tamarin -- Interior Design, 5/8/2009 12:00:00 AM

It’s clear that Arik Levy has a proclivity for exhibitionism—crystal clear. The Swarovski creative collaborator most recently left his sparkling stamp on "Osmosis," the latest exhibition to overtake the manufacturer's Crystal Palace space in Milan.

Launched to coincide with the Salone Internazionale del Mobile, which ran in Italy's fashion capital from April 22 to 27, Osmosis consists of a series of installations focused on the diamond cut, or chaton, of crystals. The intention is to shift attention away from the actual crystals, and toward the precision cutting techniques from whence they came.

The chaton form was evident everywhere in the space, from a custom 80-foot-long Tai Ping carpet to massive wire-frame structures, the latter dotting the space and contrasting with giant diamond-shaped marble sculptures strewn about the floor.

Arik Levy with Nadja Swarovski

"Arik has moved Swarovski to an arena of using crystal as a sculptural ingredient," says company head Nadja Swarovski. "He understands that crystal is more than something which sparkles; it is a valuable material which is relevant to the fields of lighting, of furniture and art."

All images courtesy Swarovski