The practice of the two designers and artists based in Como is an eclectic dance between matter, shapes, colors and plays of transparence.
Founded in 2007 by Draga Obradovic and Aurel K. Basedow, Draga & Aurel is a multidisciplinary design studio and laboratory of art, collectible design and furniture products. After several successful collections and successful collaborations with companies and galleries, they continue their research between art and design, following two parallel and at the same time complementary paths, in a continuous dialogue that reinforces, and sometimes overturns, their meanings.
Draga & Aurel – © Piero Gemelli
Can you tell us about your work and your vision ON design?
Our way of designing can be defined as a continuously evolving journey, we never follow a path perfectly defined a priori. We let ourselves be guided by the passion for experimentation and we grasp the stimuli that our creative universe made of people, materials, shapes and colors offers us. In essence, we embrace the beauty of the unexpected, this is how our collections are born.
Draga&Aurel, Letto scultura Lewit – ph Riccardo Gasperoni
What is your relationship with the experimentation of materials?
Research, experiment, study and play, until you enter into symbiosis with matter and colours. This is our approach! We closely follow the entire process of creating our works, both within our atelier and in the studios of the master craftsmen with whom we collaborate. We work the materials by shaping each piece with care. This deep connection with materials adds an extremely authentic touch to our works, which often arise spontaneously and become the purest testimony of our way of doing design.
Draga&Aurel - Nilufar, Space couture – ph Riccardo Gasperoni
What is the role of matter in the development of the concepts of your projects?
We are fascinated by the play of light and color and we love transparent and "living" materials. An example is epoxy resin, which thanks to its indomitable and unpredictable nature, offers extraordinary expressive opportunities. We have used it since our beginnings with the Heritage collection, then it became the heart of Transparency Matters and is an essential element in Aurel's artistic works.
Inspired by the Neobrutalism movement, we then began to work with cement which, combined with resin, creates a completely original contrast effect, representing two opposing forces that harmonize in a single artistic expression.
A novelty is certainly lucite, a sophisticated acrylic material that we are experimenting in collaboration with the artisans of our areas. In particular, through particular cuts, this material allows us to create colorful and multi-faced objects that change appearance from every angle.
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