The Guatemala collection is a journey to the heart of Central America – where artisans’ hands turn stone into talisman and thread into story. Jade, once a sacred Mayan stone, is now the heart of minimalist jewellery. It is accompanied by colourful bracelets made from fabrics handcrafted by K’iche’ women and kimonos sewn from materials from the city of Chichicastenango. Each piece in this collection is a dialogue between tradition and modernity. It is a story of continuity and transformation – how ancient symbols can live on in a new form and how craftsmanship becomes a universal language. It is a respect for history and the courage to keep writing it.
A COUNTRY THAT SPEAKS COLOUR
Guatemala was another place on the world workshop map to which designer Anna Orska made the journey in search of traditional techniques and materials. She found what she was looking for in the workshop of master Stanislavo, who has been extracting brilliance and colour from raw, irregular jade in his home workshop for decades. He reveals the most beautiful shades and forms geometric shapes from large unpolished grey lumps using traditional methods. Stanislavo polished the stones himself, which became the heart of the Guatemala collection. Work on their selection and processing took exactly one year from Orska’s first steps in his workshop. In the master’s hands, the stone gained a new context: purity of form, precision of geometry and a contemporary touch. Jadeites in the form of pyramids and cones delight with their precision and spectacular colours: from mint green through black and white to pink.
YAX OR MAYAN SACRED STONE
It is no coincidence that the Guatemala collection features jade. In the culture of this Central American country, jade has a special meaning – it is an amulet, a totem, a sign of balance: between body and spirit, between the world of humans and the incomprehensible. Before it settles into jewellery, jade travels a long way: from the interior of the earth it finds its way into the hands of a grinder. The touch of his hand brings out what is hidden in the stone – its coolness, texture and inner light. This is unhurried work, a conversation with matter that remembers a time before man. From the Guatemala workshop, the stones travel to Poland, where in the ORSKA workshop they meet metal: silver and gold-plated brass. The result is simple, geometric forms: rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets that combine contemporary design with the spirit of craftsmanship. This is jewellery that you not only wear, but also feel – the coolness of the stone, the warmth of your hand, the pulse of the place where it was created.
WHERE THE WEFT INTERTWINES WITH THE WARP
The colourful fabrics from Guatemala are not fashion but an alphabet of memory – a record of family history, place and everyday life. In intricate weaves and non-accidental colours, the K’iche’ women capture the stories of the place they come from. The fabrics are the language they speak to the world. To emphasise their unique role in Guatemalan culture, the jade jewellery is accompanied by limited-edition bracelets made from belts woven by hand by local artisans in the country’s mountainous regions. The naturally dyed threads created a fabric that was once an important part of Mayan women’s attire. The belts were used by women to wrap around their waists to hold up the huipil – the traditional blouse – and the skirt. Each bracelet is unique, varying in detail and colour, coming from a different piece of the original fabric.
The Guatemala collection is complemented by a limited line of kimonos made from materials from the city of Chichicastenango. In Poland, we sewed kimonos from them, decorating them with colourful lining used in the spirit of less waste. We have created bold proposals in contrasting shades of fuchsia, green and blue for those who like to go against the grain. This is a nod to freedom and a colourful defiance of monotony.
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ORSKA creates jewellery with character, her designs are expressive and often controversial. The rawness of the forms, the roughness of the textures and the different idea behind each collection reflect the temperament of the brand. ORSKA jewellery is not an accessory. It creates a creation in itself. Anna Orska’s specific design is for daring people looking for an original form of style. Each piece has an individual character. This is due to the handmade workmanship and the use of peculiar, often unique materials. The components come from different parts of the world and from different eras, just like the concept of the collection itself. ORSKA is rebellious, diverse and unpredictable. She is not afraid of experimentation. She is constantly searching. This is one thing that remains constant about her.
See also: Jewellery | Travel | Editorial | New collection
