It seems inevitable that Marina, Kira and Roy would enter the art world, given the fact their parents were philanthropists and the arts were woven into their lives from a very early age.
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Together they created Meta, Monaco’s first concept gallery, and Monaco Life met with co-founder Marina Roeloffs von Hademstorf to learn more about the gallery’s mission ‘to go beyond’ and the growing significance of recycled art.
Monaco Life: Who is behind Meta?
Marina: I opened Meta with my sister and brother in 2013, and our aim is to showcase international artists who have a global significance, as well as local artists. We have an office in Geneva, but we are a Monaco-based brand. Meta is a Greek word meaning ‘to go beyond’, so we also design fine jewellery, accessories and leather goods. Our outlook is really on local, organic, sustainable and artisanal, because all of this carries a beautiful energy and sums up Meta. We relocated from the Place de Casino to Avenue Princess Grace three summers ago.
How did you become interested in art and creating jewellery?
I grew-up between Europe and the United States, in Malibu and Manhattan, then finished high school in Rome at St. Stephen’s School, where my studies in art history began. I graduated at the University of St. Andrews with a major in art history. After that I furthered my studies in art history at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London. Then, in New York City, I dived into gemmology and the practice of jewellery engineering at GIA.
You have an interesting artist exhibiting here currently at Meta, can you tell us about his work?
Gregory de la Haba is a New York artist whose vision is to help people see how art can also be recyclable. The Bleach Coral Totem is very interesting because it shows how coral – which is a very fragile creature in the sea and has a huge job to do keeping the balance in our oceans and ecosystems – is dying and losing its colour because of global warming and plastic pollution. What de la Haba created was an interactive piece where people are welcome to write a little note with a wish or a thought, and place it in the sculpture. These notes are full of colour so it helps bring colour back to the coral. It represents our small efforts in life to better our daily habits – to not create pollution, reduce our carbon footprint, etc.
We also have a piece in homage to Gucci and Gucci. De la Haba has two sons who are huge fans of Gucci, and of course we have Charlotte Casiraghi in Monaco who is an ambassador of Gucci, so this is more of a statement about Monaco glamour.
In fact, all of these pieces were made specifically for this gallery. The title of the exhibition is ‘Totem Poems’ and in addition to the carved surfboards are photographs that he has printed on canvasses and haikus that he has also written.
One photograph is a picture of a beach in California and it shows, on a very small scale, how much trash there is and how it dominates the beach nowadays. This was an interactive piece where people at the gallery were welcome to colour in the plastic pieces in the picture.
Can you describe the philosophy behind your jewellery?
We do bespoke pieces, so engagement rings, wedding bands, anniversary gifts, earrings, cufflinks, hair pieces, broaches, tiaras… fun things as well as traditional pieces. These are all our own designs and we like to work with gold and platinum. We love gold because it was carried to earth in meteorites thousands of years ago, and it has a soothing, cleansing energy. We created cufflinks, for example, which are meteorites wrapped in gold – an ode to where gold came from and the galactic energy that surrounds us. We also work with stones – 100% pure stones, we do not work with synthetics, and our jewels are made ethically and locally. This is very important to us. Our pieces either have a galactic aspect or are inspired by the Mediterranean Sea.
How much of a role do you play in the creative process?
I am one of the curators of the gallery with my sister and brother, but I also oversee the jewellery department, so all creations go through me as a GIA graduate. I also work with the atelier, which can be a very long process because we never accept a piece unless it is exactly what we want. I really love my job.
What is downstairs?
The basement floor is filled with high-quality projectors so artists, like de la Haba, can also play with the medium of film and combine it with their art so it is more fun and interactive for everyone.
We have de la Haba’s second coral piece down here, with bits and pieces from the beach. Most of it is tampons, which is one of the major contributors to pollution. Lighters are also a big problem.
Last summer we did an exhibition supported by the South Korean government, and all the top artists from Seoul came and exhibited in the gallery. It was great to see the first exhibition of art from South Korean artists in the French Riviera. People loved the colours; one of the artists had little writings on rice paper that created landscapes. It was all very beautiful.
How do you position yourself in the Monaco art scene?
We have exhibited old masters and are obviously showing contemporary art; we have also had antiquities shown with contemporary art, so I would say we do an eclectic mix of art from different eras. We also try to stimulate the audience with new ways of looking at art, which is why we have this projectors room, to mix the different mediums – from sculpture and paintings, to film, photography and collages. Nowadays, you can really do anything with art.
What trends can you see as we head into the 2020s?
I think we are slowly returning to the idea that art is not made to last forever, but to be there for the moment. There is a new generation of artists who are working with recycled materials and their art may not last forever, but it makes its point and it moves you, elevates you, and that’s what art is about. This art is like a wave – you see it crash, it exists just for that moment, you enjoy it, then it’s gone. But you know there is a new one coming.
I think this movement is really coming forth in 2020. Artists are also working more with nature and the elements. This is such a major part of our lives now, preserving planet earth and trying to limit the damage we cause with synthetic materials.
Well art is the mirror of an era…
The purpose of art will always be redefined, but in my opinion, art is there to elevate something. It may not be the piece you are looking at right now, but after many years it may come back to you, and move you.
Perception of art is personal and taste changes with time, therefore I see my function more as helping viewers understand the intention behind the artwork.
That’s why I studied art history and gemmology. What I find interesting is that artists who study archaeology or ancient artefacts always have a wave of energy that is reborn in their contemporary pieces. Like de la Haba. Totems were symbols used by oceanic cultures and ancient tribes, so it is interesting to see how these symbols reappear in art throughout the ages, they are just reimagined.
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