Succulent Rings it’s a family of wood carving rings-sculptures containing earth and housing small succulent plants.
These rings offer an aspect of participation of the owner in the life process of the work, it is a matter of taking care of the plant grafted into the wooden ring. The idea that attracted me when I thought about succulent was to move the relationship from a sphere of possession to one of participation, its maintenance requires care that becomes part of the daily life of the owner. The ring is no longer an object but a subject, to be watered, every now and then, with a drop of water.
*succulent: *[‘succulent = succulent, juicy
What are “Succulent Rings”? What does this name mean?
“Succulent* Rings” is the name of some wooden micro-installations which hold in a cavity tiny cactuses and earth for their survival. They need to be watered from time to time with a drop of water (by means of a syringe) and must be handled with care.
* succulent = 1. juicy 2. tasty 3. (bot.) it refers to a plant or an organ with abundant aquiferous tissue…
Who’s the author?
The project is by Barbara Uderzo, artist-designer and creator of contemporary jewels.
How long can a cactus survive?
The mini-cactus transplanted in “Succulent Ring” can live for years and grow to different sizes, depending on the type of plant and its environment. In fact, in order to assure its survival, it is very important that it always gets the same quantity of light, water, air and heat. Average life span is about one year.
And how much can it grow?
Usually, cactus plants grow slowly. If a plant is planted in a small space, this can slow down its growth, an effect called a “bonsai effect”. It depends a lot on the species, however.
Is it possibile to wear these rings?
“Succulent rings” are, above all, small living sculptures, whose dimensions are those of a somewhat bulky ring. You can wear some of them, although this depends first of all on the shape of the plant, how it is placed, etc..; The rings whose wooden part ends tightly around a roundish plant (“mammillaria”) are more suitable for this purpose.
In the “Succulent Rings 2002” collection these objects are divided into two types: those of a mini-sculpture type, bigger and with a larger base which provides a safer and wider support, and the ones designed as rings, smaller and with a shaped base, for a comfortable fit.
Are they one-off pieces?
From 1993 to 2000 I designed and realized one-off pieces. In 2002 I made small series of rings with mainly three different shapes. These are rotating solids, such as the cone, the cylinder, and a part that narrows at the top. In the manufacturing process, the first stage is turning, followed by a repeated manual finish of every single piece. Succulent rings are sculpture-rings with essential volumes, where the focus is on the conceptual aspect.
From 2004 to the present day I have added new succulent rings, which are one-off pieces, made with precious woods, such as ebony. These woods, which are very hard, allow you to create forms defined in the smallest details, and to be well polished. The collection, in fact, is characterized by more geometric and incisive forms.
Where can one see them?
In my studio in Milan there are some examples, one of which has a plant that survives since the opening of the space: 2010!
Only a few photos can be viewed online at: www.uderzo-designer.it and it is possible to receive some photos on request at the email address: barbara@uderzo-designer.it.
