The Fold

The fold is at the centre of Julia Bartsch's creative process. Inspired by the natural forms and movements of the human body, it has become the signature of her sculptural work.

Every piece begins in wax. Using an intuitive sculpting technique refined over years of experimentation, Julia shapes soft folds by hand before they are cast into precious metal. The wax is not simply a step in the making process, but also the material through which each piece is imagined and created. Before becoming jewellery, every design exists as a miniature wax sculpture.

Casting these wax sculptures into silver and gold transforms something one naturally associates with softness into a permanent material. Exploring this contrast between the fluidity of the body and the rigidity of metal is the focus of Julia's work.

Julia believes that the time and craftsmanship invested to sculpt each piece by hand should be reflected in its rarity. The language of the fold is therefore not only an aesthetic choice, but also a way of preserving the uniqueness of every creation. The complexity of these sculpted folds makes them impossible to be moulded or reproduced. Therefore every piece remains one of a kind. Once it has found its owner, it wont return.