Lei da Atração
Objects and jewelry, 2017/2018

Lei da Atração means `Law of Attraction` in Portuguese.

In this project, I analysed the characteristics of desirable products from the fashion and cosmetics industry and imitated them with the means at my disposal. What makes a product so attractive that we want to touch it and wear it on our bodies? Can I achieve the same effect as the original with the imitations?

I find nail art fascinating, but I don't like wearing nail polish because my hands lose some of their sensitivity through the nail polish.
How do I imitate the effect of manicured nails on human hands?
For the realisation, I choose wood with its shades of colour and unevenness to imitate human skin.
I carve the pieces of wood down to their hard core so that they resemble fingers. As the acrylic lacquer is applied to the nail in liquid form, I can build up the shape gradually until I achieve the desired volume.
There is a boundary between the skin of the finger and the nail polish, which is reinforced by the manicure and the polish and thus becomes clearer.
The two materials could hardly be more different in the way they take shape: The wood grows and natural factors such as the environment and the effects of the weather shape its appearance; every piece of wood is different. In contrast, the lacquer is synthetically produced and homogeneous. Acrylic lacquer is initially a viscous gel that has to harden after application before it can be moulded and finally lacquered.