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"For more than three decades, Victoire de Castellane has put a contemporary twist on couture jewelry. At Chanel in the 1980s and \u201990s, she produced bold costume pieces that brought playful pop references to the luxury brand. De Castellane\u2019s designs for Dior Haute Joaillerie, of which she became the inaugural creative director in 1998, are similarly lively and exquisite, with precious stones cut and arranged to look like cheery spring gardens. Now Gagosian Gallery\u2019s Madison Avenue location presents the first U.S. exhibition of de Castellane\u2019s independent work, &amp;quot;Precious Objects.&amp;quot;\n\nPinterestFacebookCana Bisextem Now, 2010. Photo: Erwan Frotin, \u00A9 Victoire de Castellane and courtesy of Gagosian Gallery\n\nDe Castellane brings the same spirited approach to the objects on view, mixing surprising materials with gorgeous flora and fauna motifs. A lacquered necklace in bright hues that span the color spectrum looks almost molten, while other pieces use yellow gold and blue lacquer to mimic the color and movement of exotic snakes. De Castellane\u2019s gold flower rings and bracelets seem almost too delicate to wear, each petal and leaf neatly folding as if made from organic materials. Even the bases de Castellane uses are captivating\u2014stands made of petrified wood or silver and precious stones that refract light\u2014the perfect backdrop for these dazzling pieces.\n\nThrough April 5 at Gagosian Gallery, New York; gagosian.com\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/victoire-de-castellane-jewelry-gagosian-gallery>