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Psychology of bling
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A counsellor on high-range jewellery, Olaf Van Cleef is also a painter by night, because he can’t sleep!
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Photo: Murali kumar k.
CARTING ART India, its colours, gods and art attract Olaf Van Cleef
Coming from the Van Cleef dynasty, it was natural for Olaf also to take to jewellery. He, like his ancestors, has a passion for precious stones. Even in that his job profile is a tad offbeat. He does not “design” jewellery, but is a ̶
0;counsellor on high range jewellery” and has been with Cartier since 1982. In fact, he was so successful that he was in charge of the Cartier mission in India between 1989 and 2002.
But just selling jewellery is not his agenda. “It is giving customers advice. When it comes to jewellery it is a piece of heritage that we sell, not just a piece of jewellery. It is personalised when a man gifts his wife a jewel for he is gifting his love and memories of his life, which in turn is handed down generations. Each one has a picture in his mind. For that man it may be symbolic, and that is where my interest comes in. I am more into the psychology of jewellery. Jewellery is like adding a little bit of marmalade to your buttered toast. Too much of it will ruin the taste. In the same way jewellery too should be just perfect; it should accentuate your beauty, not take away the attention from it,” explains Olaf.
He starts by making his customers wear the jewellery and experience it first.
“A customer is not just a customer, and neither ishe your friend. He is one to whom you give something to help him select gifts for his various reasons — may be for sexuality, vanity, or as a token of love to his children,” explains this counsellor, who feels Indians have a great sense of colour and contrast.
“In Paris, people are boring. They are always playing with greys, blacks and white. The idea of contrast simply does not exist there. I love the way Indian women play with contrasts, which brings out the femininity in a person. There will be a lady with very dark skin wearing a bright red sari. It’s such a pretty sight. In the same way one has to also adapt one’s skin type for jewellery,” adds the man, who is also an artist.
The reason he paints is also to break away from the family and make his own personal identity. “I belong to the Van Cleef family. But as an artist I am just Olaf. I took to painting because of health reasons. You see, I cannot sleep at nights. I wake up at two or three in the morning, and at that odd hour I cannot call friends. So I sit and paint. I try to bring in colours with plenty of contrast in my work. Sometimes I try a contrast in a contrast. My work is like a salad of colours. I like to shock my people a little. So in an empty place I will simply place a red diamond. And of course, my inspiration for art is India. This is the best place for modern art. Indian is modern art. See how people arrange their homes. Even the marketplace is brimming with colours.”
Olaf loves India so much that he’s here thrice a year with his works for exhibitions. “India is a second home for me. Showing your love for India is not being bottled up in your hotel and talking about Kolkata or Mother Teresa. Loving it means getting out and becoming one among the people here. I love the simplicity of the people here,” says Olaf who has a fascination for painting Indian deities.
Why Indian gods? “Because in France, god is very boring. He is depicted with a spear pierced to his heart or something like that. But an Indian god is very interesting. He has a waterfall from his head or a snake as a belt! Very interesting. I am fascinated with the colours that go into adorning the deity. Worship here is so much more cheerful than just going down on your knees.”
He uses plenty of chocolate wrappers, semi precious stones and colours in his paintings with intricate designs. “My painting is a continuation of my work and also the tradition of my family.”
He plans to return next year with his next set of paintings. Olaf can be contacted on www.olafvancleef.org.
This column features those who choose veer off the beaten track.
SHILPA SEBASTAIN R.
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