Behind the designer, there is a contemporary jewellery lover and an observer of the next generations of jewellers. Here are more details about Rachik’s tastes and opinion about this work.
© Aline Princet
Can you name 3 designers you like?
At the beginning, I really liked Dinh Van’s spirit, it was out of the ordinary. Later, retrospectively, it stopped there, it has not been expanded. Then, there are many references and very few at the same time. Some of my former students now create amazing pieces. For example, Galatée Pestre creates quite playful and very simple things, inspired by the ‘contemporary jewel’. Another former student, Solmaz Panahi, an Iranian designer, I produced some mock-ups for her, I really like her work inspired by her origins… I also think about Rosely Finster-Sacramento, a materials and jewel lover, who conveys a lot of sensitivity through her work.
I am interested in these works, its specificity is very far from my pieces. I also like Tobias Wistisen’s work. These are very elegant jewels with interesting volume on the surface. I met some teachers of contemporary jewelry at the Afedap who are also jewellers. Brune Boyer, for example, do a great job. There are also more contemporary references or installations but it is another universe. These references are very different, I could think of others but I cannot name a specific designer, I am not a fan.
Could you name other artists you like?
I am quite eclectic in music or in art, I like to have sensations, I cannot select a specific movement or artist. However, I really like vanitas, even if it is a bit redundant to speak again about skull. Still, this symbol is very far from my culture. For Mexicans, it is very positive whereas it is negative for Tunisians. It is pretty dark, it really represents death. It has a morbid and negative connotation whereas it is also aesthetic. When you observe bones, there are many geometric forms, play of light, etc. I am interested in aestheticism more than symbolism. I am not really a religious person but a beautiful embossed cross, well made or a beautiful baroque cross some effect, that does.
Do you have favourite jewels?
Not really, there are jewels I really like I really like but strangely, I don’t wear it. On the contrary, I am interested in the combination, the question of balance. When somebody wears his favourite jewel, it means that, at one point, he feels more balanced when he wears it. Without this jewel, something is not complete. To me, to feel balanced means wearing jewels that go together. Fetichism I would give to jewels is to find which jewel goes with another one more than having a favourite jewel. I wear many jewels every day but, according to my mood, I try to change and find this balance. It is a reflexion about well-being.
What are the two main qualities to be a jewelry designer?
To not try to please, to not be complacent with your creation. The energy of the jewel you will create is supposed to motivate creation, it is not, for example, to follow a fashion trend. You need to free yourself from it. I think jewel needs to be created by a nice person and it is not always like this. It is sometimes disappointing, To me, the designer is important.
What would you advise to a new designer?
To try to free himself from techniques. You can learn how to make jewelry and know the creative process but, to me, it is like music and solfege. When you learn by heart, you need to forget your fingers and your keyboard to move on. You need to free yourself from the learning formatting. A jewel can be really simple or really complex. You shouldn’t be locked up in something. You need to do what you want while paying attention to trend, which is different. It requires sacrifices but if you can work differently you should, obviously, preserve your creative freedom. You have to make good choices and accept things will take more time. You can choose two things for example. I love to create and to teach. At one point, I asked myself if I needed to choose between these activities. But, in reality, both are possible, we allow ourselves to be manipulated by righteousness.
Is there a jewel you would have loved to create in place of a designer ?
Many! Too many! You realize there are many creative persons, locked into theri universe, thinking they are unique but, they only exist because other universes do. We wouldn’t be interested in jewels if only a person was making it. You need to be separated from what people do to appreciate their work and give them the possibility to appreciate yours.
What is rewarding in your job?
To be able to feel good while working without really being aware of it. When you notice it, you realize it was so nice to do it. Feeling good and being in line with what you do and when you are aware of it, you realize that’s what is important.
© Aline Princet
You are a teacher, what do you think about this new generation of designers you see everyday?
I think it is not an easy choice, it is difficult to find yourself. It is also difficult to feel good, to find yourself at a commercial and creative level. It takes time, some maturity, etc. You need to analyze what happens and to put yourself in question to move on.
Which designers would you like to see on L’Envers du Décor?
I appreciated toread your article about Harpo’s work. I heard about it and I discovered things.
For a future interview, I would like to discover a very different artist from the ones you already interviewed. More different it is, more interesting it is because it shows us a different universe that I don’t know about. For example, Éric de Gésincourt uses very different materials such as thermoplastically materials.
© Aline Princet
To find Rachik Soussi :
Website : www.rachik.com
Facebook: Rachik Créations (Groupe public)
Instagram: rachik_soussi
Photos : © Rachik Soussi sauf mention © Aline Princet . Photographies fournies par Rachik Soussi et publiées avec son autorisation.
