Parisian high jewellery designer, Lydia Courteille, embarks on a journey inspired by her dreams, crafting the visually striking Shamanic Dreams collection by using the Mexican Huichol craft. The outcome? Playfully whimsical, yet each bejewelled piece is characterised with compelling narratives.
Dreams are a window to our subconscious, often laden with portentous spiritual revelations. Shamans, or spiritual practitioners who are a conduit between mortals and the spiritual plane, often harness the power of dreams to receive otherworldly guidance and messages.
The new collection by Lydia underscores the communion of a symbolic narrative and mystic shamanism. The extraordinary craft knowledge of the enamellers highlights Huichols art, and the flamboyant colours of the rare precious stones rouses shamanic visions.
For the uninitiated, the vibrant, folkloric Huichol art is a traditional form of indigenous Mexican art created by the Huichol people, also known as the Wixáritari. Deeply rooted in the spiritual and cultural practices of the Huichol community, the most distinctive feature of the art being the use of brightly coloured beads to create striking designs on various objects. These beads are meticulously placed one by one onto a surface coated with wax or resin.
Cuff: ‘The Face Of The Eclipse’
The 18-karat gold bracelet is set with diamonds, yellow and orange sapphires, and turquoise. The bracelet is a quintessence of light, both visually and spiritually, thanks to the precious effects of the plique-à-jour enamel; it features the rare celestial activity when the Mother Earth, Moon and Father Sun meet each other.
Pendant: ‘Old-Brother-Kauymari’
The pendant features the male deity Kauyamai, who took the shape of a stag. The Great Myths of Kawitu evoke the journey passing through the five main ritual sites. These paths are likened to those traced by the sun, traversing from east to west throughout the day and from north to south over the course of the year, between the summer and winter solstices, reaching its zenith along the way.
The 18-karat gold pendant is fashioned with white and black diamonds, tsavorites, green garnet, rubellite, and stalactite. While the gold necklace is composed of diamonds, emeralds, stalactite, cornelian, coral, and green and blue beads.
Ring: Bees Huichol
Inspired by the artwork ‘The Bees Find Their Way to the Hive’ by de Yauxali, 1981, it depicts their journey to the hive, thanks to their nierikate spinning within the four cardinal directions. In the artwork the crosses are located on the four parts of the hive to symbolise that the bees are everywhere to make votive candles. The 18-karat gold ring evokes the scene with the use of plique-à-jour enamelling, diamonds, drop-shaped amethysts, and a 36.87-carat amethyst adorning the centre.
Ring: Turtle And The Drought
The 18-karat gold standout ring studded with black and white diamonds, tsavorites, sapphires, a 106.6-carat blue tourmaline, and adorned with plique-à-jour enamelling, tells the story of the birth of fire, the origin of the moon, the sun, or the stars. The most ancient roots of Huichol art can be seen in their stone carvings offered in sacred places.
Ring: Fire Deer
The 18-karat gold ring, patterned with brown diamonds, black spinel, tsavorite, a 23-carat tourmaline, and yellow beryl, resembles a deer’s head that the shaman carries during the celebration. It symbolises the transformation of the deer deity, ablaze with fire. The intertwined snakes represent the thoughts through which Kauyumari implores for rain and abundance.