The Influence of Art 3

Zeemou Zeng, celebrating the launch of his new fine jewellery collection The Impressionists, continues his conversations with friends and colleagues about the value of Impressionist art in their lives. Here he shares insights from Dara Huang, American architect, designer and founder of Design Haus Liberty. 

"Art is so important in my life and is significant on so many different levels. From my own creative art and painting with my son, to using art as a form of expression and inspiration. Art exerts a powerful influence on the way we design and think about things. Art is everything.    

Monet and Renoir are my favourite Impressionist painters. Their art is so emotionally charged. I first saw their pieces in books and when my parents realised I had a real passion for art, they sent me to art classes where I had to study the construction of these pieces. 

Since then I have been lucky enough to see the original paintings as I travel the world. These works fill me with feelings of awe and enlightenment. Pieces such as 'Luncheon of the Boating Party' and ‘ La Loge (Theatre Box)’ by Renoir make me feel totally submersed in the study – so much so that the event comes alive as if I have experienced the zeitgeist first-hand."

Zeemou Zeng Impressionists Dangle Earrings-"Alizarin" inspired by Theatre Box by Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

"With Monet, it's the sheer scale that totally overwhelms me - its grand glory. The composition is so clever. It appears abstract up close but reveals clarity from afar. I have no idea how they created work like this, how these artists made every stroke make sense only from a distance. Technically it is so skilled to work this detail in every brush stroke.

It is interesting to see Impressionist influences echoed in modern day design and art today. There are definitely subtle hints in Saerom Yoon’s use of colours in his resin vases/tables and in Damien Hirst’s Cherry Blossom paintings. But still no one has yet recreated the magic that the original Impressionists achieved.”

'Crystal Series_Vase' by Saerom Yoon (left). Cherry Blossom painting by Damien Hirst (right).

Dara created DH Liberty in 2013. Her idea was simple: first, recruit architects and designers who’ve honed their craft working for the world’s most renowned architecture firms. Then, give them the freedom to look at each project with totally unshackled imaginations. And then watch the magic unfold. www.dhliberty.com

Architecture & Interior design by Dara Huang, DH Liberty.