Johann Nikadimus, an accessory designer and embroiderer from Moscow, has built a distinctive brand dedicated to reviving traditional Russian tiaras. Without a formal art education, but with a deep respect for folklore and history, Nikadimus created the brand KEY by J. Nikadimus, using ancient pearl-stitching techniques combined with Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. His tiaras are not only gorgeous headpieces, but also art objects that ennoble the space. At this year’s Kaleidoscope of Culture in Novi Sad, the prominent Russian applied artist, who exhibited at the Cartier exhibition, will present his collection of pearl tiaras KEY4, which will take visitors on a journey through time and art. In anticipation of the exhibition, which you can see at the Radionica facility in the District from 6 to 11 September, we talked with him about inspiration, techniques and the importance of preserving tradition through contemporary applied art.
How did your passion for traditional Russian headdresses and pearl embroidery techniques evolve into the creation of the brand KEY by J.Nikadimus? What inspired you to dedicate yourself to this specific area of applied arts?
Since I started working with traditional headdresses and giving lectures on their history, I have been receiving more and more requests for modern accessories. And only a couple of years ago I started working on them, when I felt that my inner resource as an artist was already filled enough for this. In addition, from the very beginning my task was to bring the traditional embroidery technique to a new level, to show people and my fellow craftsmen and designers that there is a huge potential for inspiration in ancient samples, and we must use it so as not to lose it.
Can you describe the process of creating a tiara, from concept to realization? What techniques and materials do you use to achieve the unique look of your creations?
Before starting work on a collection, like any designer, I collect inspirational examples from the history of art, such a conceptual map. It contains music, images of art objects, quotes from books and movies, and my own ideas. Then I structure the collected material, remove the unnecessary from it and draw many drafts for tiaras or just ornaments on paper with a pencil. All this should organize my thoughts. Well, after that I start embroidering. I work with the ancient technique of pearl embroidery and gold embroidery. I select materials so that the object of work is not perfect and always leaves the impression that it is ancient. Because I admire antiquity, rituals and traces of time that remain on old objects.
Your work has been showcased at the prestigious Cartier exhibition. How did that experience help you grow as an artist, and how did it influence your approach to creating traditional Russian tiaras?
Working at the Cartier exhibition left a big mark on my work. Previously, I was very relaxed about high jewelry art. But at the exhibition, I not only had the opportunity to work with an amazing team of professionals, but I also had the opportunity to hold in my hands the works of the House of Cartier – modern jewelry and the oldest objects made for Russian princesses. I can say that the magnificence of these objects simply cannot be conveyed by any photograph, they are so beautiful and it is not for nothing that they are called “high jewelry art”. I strive for the same level.
Your tiaras are recognized as high value works of art. Could you tell us more about the price range of your creations and how you determine the value of each piece?
The cost of any work – baking bread or administrative work in an office – consists of several parameters, there is nothing to hide here. The price is primarily affected by materials and production time. Then goes the uniqueness of the product and the personality of the author, what we call a brand if we are talking about a company. And of course demand. If there is a high demand for the artist’s personality and the product he produces, then the price also increases. Because in some cases there is no possibility to produce more goods, and sometimes it is even better to produce them longer and more difficulty in order to obtain even better quality and artistic value.
What do you think of the concept of the Kaleidoscope of Culture, which celebrates five types of art over five weeks of programming? What can visitors expect from your exhibition?
Kaleidoscope of Culture is a completely unique event. I watched the program and was very inspired by it. Kaleidoscope covers a wide range of arts, choosing the most relevant and interesting at the moment. This is a real festival of contemporary art, which is not limited by genres. Each part of the kaleidoscope can be made into a separate festival, and this is a unique find of the Kaleidoscope team. Kaleidoscope has a very professional team that works like clockwork, this allows it to work with such a large volume of organization.
My exhibition is a presentation of a new collection of tiaras. I am holding it with photographer Marina Vasilevskaya, with whom I have been working together for over a year and have become very close. As an artist, this is an important experience for me working with a team, and for viewers, this is a unique opportunity to see not only the tiaras themselves, but also to immerse themselves in the atmosphere from which they were created. This exhibition is conceived as a short film or a book with the atmosphere of a magical dream. There is music, cinema, and a little theater… I want viewers to want to come back here every day while the exhibition is on. To take another five minutes off from the daily routine.
How do you feel knowing that your tiaras not only adorn people at special events but also become part of family legacies and art collections? Is it important to you that your work leaves a lasting impression in people’s lives?
– Yes, of course it is important for me, you have noticed it very subtly. The life of each of us is divided into personal and public. My tiaras are not only an author’s statement, it is also my work to make other people’s lives better. I think that the world always strives for destruction, and without our creative and constructive work it would have already perished. The world around us is Thanatos, and we, creative people, are Eros.
Author: Marina Marić
Photo: Archive by Johann Nikadimus
