Upon graduating from the Art Academy of Latvia (AAL) with a bachelor’s degree in metal design, Katrīna Vītola created a jewellery collection entitled Guardians, which was developed in collaboration with the residents of the SOS Children’s Village in Īslīce. The Guardians are designed as protective amulets inspired by characters created by the children. The jewellery design project also includes elements of social and service design — each amulet is made in two versions, one of which is auctioned in exchange for a donation to the SOS Children’s Village.
The project began in a creative workshop organised by Katrīna Vītola together with nine children from the SOS Children’s Village in Īslīce. Each of them created their own guardian — a character or companion that would inspire a sense of security and remind their creators that they are not alone. Katrīna transformed various characters, from Saint Mary to a shark, into metal amulets. The jewellery collection consists of 18 pieces — nine «little guardians», which the artist is giving back to their creators, and nine «big brothers», which were auctioned off during the Design Days exhibition.
«The idea to create Guardians grew out of a feeling of gratitude for what I have been given. I realise how different and sometimes harsh people’s fates can be, and I wanted to share the good things I have received. I decided to turn to children who have been left without parental care because what we feel, see, and experience in the first years of our lives plays a huge role in shaping our personalities. I realised that if I could make these children’s days a little brighter, then I had to do it, because every little step counts,» says Katrīna.
She explains that art works as a therapeutic tool that encourages not only creativity and imagination in children, but also confidence in their abilities. «The creative workshop was very emotionally fulfilling. The children were active and enthusiastic — they didn’t hesitate for a second and immediately got down to work. I thought they probably wouldn’t have the patience, but they created one piece after another.»
The designer then embodied the characters created by the children in amulets, using metal scraps that had accumulated during her studies. «I put the scrap box in front of me and picked out various interesting pieces, which I combined as if playing a game, trying to depict the children’s creations,» says Katrīna. The designer approached the process intuitively, incorporating the most characteristic elements from the children’s works into each talisman. For example, the Briesmonis Serēngalva talisman is quite similar to the original drawing, while for the piece depicting Saint Mary (Svētā Marija) Katrīna put a special emphasis on the face.
In addition to emotional support, the project also provides financial assistance to the residents of the SOS Children’s Village in Īslīce. Visitors to the Design Days exhibition could choose their favourite piece and participate in an auction by writing down the amount they were willing to donate in exchange for the amulet. «I had no expectations, but people were responsive, and the amounts offered were generous. 64 visitors participated in the auction, and although not everyone got an amulet, information about the organisation has reached new ears and new donors,» says Katrīna. «We are all connected and consciously and unconsciously influence each other’s stories. With this work, I wanted to promote social unity, insight, and empathy. I believe that there is an immeasurable power within each of us that we must learn to tap into. This will help us protect each other and ourselves.»
Katrīna’s bachelor’s thesis at the Latvian Academy of Art was supervised by Rasma Pušpure. Other projects by students of the Design Department can be viewed in the AAL virtual catalogue.
Viedokļi