Intervew Félix Albert
D’où vient votre nom de marque « monade »?
La monade désigne, par définition, l’unité absolue parfaite, le grand « Un » à l’origine de tout ce qui existe. C’est un mot ancien, doux, chaleureux qui appelle à un sentiment de plénitude. Pour moi il porte parfaitement l’image de la femme enceinte, mère du monde. Lorsque j’ai découvert ce mot ce fut une évidence, aujourd’hui il ne fait qu’un avec mon travail sur la maternité.
Il est rare de voir un homme se dévouer à un travail sur la maternité. Pourquoi avez-vous choisi ce thème ?
Effectivement, c’est une question qui revient souvent.. : ) J’ai toujours trouvé les femmes enceintes superbes, elles sont pour moi la beauté et la magie du monde. Plus précisément, je travaille depuis quelques années maintenant pour la haute joaillerie parisienne, mais ce travail/passion a souligné à mes yeux le vide émotionnel associé à de nombreux bijoux qui, même pour des pièces exceptionnelles, ne représentent pas plus de valeur sentimentale aux yeux de l’acquéreur, que leur nouvel iPhone. Je me suis lancé dans la création de bijoux porteurs de sens. La maternité est pour moi splendide et universelle. J’ai donc choisi de développer mon travail autour de cet instant unique.
Que représente pour vous la maternité?
Douceur, amour, famille, joie, équilibre… La maternité est intemporelle, elle est le passé, le présent et l’avenir. Quand je regarde une femme enceinte, je vois le tout, l’image de la vie, je me sens au milieu de l’Histoire, je vois l’humanité tout entière dans ce ventre rebondi ; une femme donne naissance, sa fille donnera naissance à son tour et cet acte infini a construit l’histoire de l’homme. C’est pour moi toute la beauté de la vie.
Vous développez un bijou pour la mère mais également pour le père, pourquoi?
Pour moi, la maternité se conçoit et se vit à deux. Notre société nous amène de plus en plus à un individualisme qui peut éloigner l’autre dès la maternité. J’ai donc créé un duo : un pendentif et un « galet chéri », ces deux pièces sont une passerelle émotionnelle entre les deux parents, un lien vers l’autre et l’amour de l’enfant à venir.
A qui s’adresse votre collection ?
Aux couples, à toute personne ami/famille voulant participer à l’heureux événement, à tout amoureux de la vie et des beaux objets fabriqués entièrement à la main. Mon but, aujourd’hui, est d’explorer différents matériaux pour que chacun puisse se reconnaître dans ma collection. La Monade, en or et cristal ou en or et bois précieux, sait se décliner en petite monade, en argent massif ou en métal coloré.
Interview of Félix Albert
Where does your brand name « monade » come from?
The monade means by definition, the perfect unity, the big « one » at the origin of everything that exist in this world. It’s an ancient word, soft, warm and calling for a sense of fullness. For me it perfectly carries the image of a pregnant woman, mother of the world. When I discovered this word, it came to me as evidence; this would be the one and only word capable of truly defining my work on maternity.
It’s rare to see a man devote himself on motherhood. What made you orient yourself to this concept?
Indeed, this is quite a common question. I’ve always found pregnant women beautifully striking; significant of both beauty and magic of the world. I’ve worked for a few years in high Parisian jewelry and this has shown me the lack of feelings and emotions in numerous jewels. Even in indescribable pieces of art the sentimental value of the buyer can genuinely be the same as buying the latest Iphone. I wanted to create meaningful jewels. Maternity is for me magnificent and universal; therefore I decided to build my work around this unique step of life.
What is maternity for you?
Kindness, love, family, joy, stability… Motherhood is timeless; it is the past, the present and the future. When I look at a pregnant woman, I have an overall view of everything, the meaning of life, I feel in the middle of history, I see the entire humanity in this baby bump; a woman gives birth, her daughter will give birth when her time comes and this infinite act has built the human history. It’s for me the entire beauty of life right under my eyes.
You are designing a jewel for the mother but also for the father, why?
For me, a pregnancy is conceived and lived by both. Our society leads us increasingly to an individualism who will exclude the other from the very beginning of motherhood. I therefore created a duet: a pendant and a “galet chéri” (piece shaped like the belly of a pregnant woman), these two pieces are an emotional link between both parents, a bond towards the other one and the love of their future child.
Who is your collection for?
To the couple and anyone in their entourage whishing to participate with originality in this happy event. To every lover of life and hand made art. My goal as of today is to explore and use other materials so that everyone can see a part of himself or herself in my collection. The gold and crystal Monade or gold and wood, also exists in a smaller version in sterling silver or in colored metal.
Interview of Félix Albert
Where does your brand name « monade » come from?
The monade means by definition, the perfect unity, the big « one » at the origin of everything that exist in this world. It’s an ancient word, soft, warm and calling for a sense of fullness. For me it perfectly carries the image of a pregnant woman, mother of the world. When I discovered this word, it came to me as evidence; this would be the one and only word capable of truly defining my work on maternity.
It’s rare to see a man devote himself on motherhood. What made you orient yourself to this concept?
Indeed, this is quite a common question. I’ve always found pregnant women beautifully striking; significant of both beauty and magic of the world. I’ve worked for a few years in high Parisian jewelry and this has shown me the lack of feelings and emotions in numerous jewels. Even in indescribable pieces of art the sentimental value of the buyer can genuinely be the same as buying the latest Iphone. I wanted to create meaningful jewels. Maternity is for me magnificent and universal; therefore I decided to build my work around this unique step of life.
What is maternity for you?
Kindness, love, family, joy, stability… Motherhood is timeless; it is the past, the present and the future. When I look at a pregnant woman, I have an overall view of everything, the meaning of life, I feel in the middle of history, I see the entire humanity in this baby bump; a woman gives birth, her daughter will give birth when her time comes and this infinite act has built the human history. It’s for me the entire beauty of life right under my eyes.
You are designing a jewel for the mother but also for the father, why?
For me, a pregnancy is conceived and lived by both. Our society leads us increasingly to an individualism who will exclude the other from the very beginning of motherhood. I therefore created a duet: a pendant and a “galet chéri” (piece shaped like the belly of a pregnant woman), these two pieces are an emotional link between both parents, a bond towards the other one and the love of their future child.
Who is your collection for?
To the couple and anyone in their entourage whishing to participate with originality in this happy event. To every lover of life and hand made art. My goal as of today is to explore and use other materials so that everyone can see a part of himself or herself in my collection. The gold and crystal Monade or gold and wood, also exists in a smaller version in sterling silver or in colored metal.
Interview of Félix Albert
Where does your brand name « monade » come from?
The monade means by definition, the perfect unity, the big « one » at the origin of everything that exist in this world. It’s an ancient word, soft, warm and calling for a sense of fullness. For me it perfectly carries the image of a pregnant woman, mother of the world. When I discovered this word, it came to me as evidence; this would be the one and only word capable of truly defining my work on maternity.
It’s rare to see a man devote himself on motherhood. What made you orient yourself to this concept?
Indeed, this is quite a common question. I’ve always found pregnant women beautifully striking; significant of both beauty and magic of the world. I’ve worked for a few years in high Parisian jewelry and this has shown me the lack of feelings and emotions in numerous jewels. Even in indescribable pieces of art the sentimental value of the buyer can genuinely be the same as buying the latest Iphone. I wanted to create meaningful jewels. Maternity is for me magnificent and universal; therefore I decided to build my work around this unique step of life.
What is maternity for you?
Kindness, love, family, joy, stability… Motherhood is timeless; it is the past, the present and the future. When I look at a pregnant woman, I have an overall view of everything, the meaning of life, I feel in the middle of history, I see the entire humanity in this baby bump; a woman gives birth, her daughter will give birth when her time comes and this infinite act has built the human history. It’s for me the entire beauty of life right under my eyes.
You are designing a jewel for the mother but also for the father, why?
For me, a pregnancy is conceived and lived by both. Our society leads us increasingly to an individualism who will exclude the other from the very beginning of motherhood. I therefore created a duet: a pendant and a “galet chéri” (piece shaped like the belly of a pregnant woman), these two pieces are an emotional link between both parents, a bond towards the other one and the love of their future child. Who is your collection for? To the couple and anyone in their entourage whishing to participate with originality in this happy event. To every lover of life and hand made art. My goal as of today is to explore and use other materials so that everyone can see a part of himself or herself in my collection. The gold and crystal Monade or gold and wood, also exists in a smaller version in sterling silver or in colored metal.
