Artist in Residence: Virna Pasquinelli

Virna Pasquinelli is a multidisciplinary creative whose work extends from millinery and mixed media textiles to set design and installations, drawing inspiration from urban life and the fringe subcultures within it whilst grounded by the sophistication, majesty and mystician of her of her more classical Roman upbringing.

Her work with the Glass Lab Residency was largely influenced by the motives and impact of fast-fashion with representations of the fragility of the ego and our susceptibility to trends along with our addiction to mobile phones and social media, highlighting the effect these in turn have on our own vision of the self, esteem and mental health.

“I felt the concept perfectly reflected the duality of glass as a medium, completely different from the fabrics I usually work with, outwardly hard yet fragile, unique and often indeterminable. Repeating and perfecting the form over and over, seemingly working toward a final fixed piece but still without guarantee and susceptible to the unexpected, as with our ‘self’.”

The time at The Glass Foundry marked a significant new chapter and creative approach, inspiring the use of different mediums and techniques, allowing the materials to have more say in the design and creative process, sensing their form and making space for their own unique movements and nature of being, allowing them to help realise and express their true ‘self’.”