3月底的比利时烟雨蒙蒙，我们从安特卫普港口旁的RAS餐厅出发，大约花费了35分钟的车程来到了郊外Catherine Rochtus的工作室。当走近门槛时，我们注意到脚下出现了一点晃动的光。一支孤零零的蜡烛，依偎在柔和的光池中，招呼着。微弱的烛光——一个欢迎的象征——指引着我们向里去，开启这场奇幻之旅。
It was misty and rainy in Belgium at the end of March. We set out from the RAS restaurant next to the port of Antwerp and drove for about 35 minutes to Catherine Rochtus's studio in the suburbs. As we approached the threshold, a gentle glow flickered at our feet. A solitary candle, nestled in a pool of soft light, beckoning us. Thus, our odyssey commenced, guided by the embrace of a humble flame—a symbol of welcome that ignited our hearts and illuminated the path to boundless wonders awaiting within.
六年前，Catherine搬进了她现在的工作室，这是一块等待她发挥创意的白板。她与设计师合作，精心规划每一个细节，从楼梯的位置到门和家具的材料选择。Catherine亲自挑选和制作家具，将石头桌腿等元素融入其中，显现出一种朴素的质感。这种个人风格使空间充满了温暖和真实感。
Six years ago, Catherine moved into her current workshop, a blank slate awaiting her creative touch. Collaborating with designers, she meticulously planned every detail, from staircase placement to material choices for doors and furnishings. With a hands-on approach, Catherine selected and crafted furniture herself, incorporating elements like stone table legs for rustic charm. This personal touch imbues the space with warmth and authenticity.
每件作品都见证了Catherine的匠艺，和她对自然之美的尊崇，同样是她口中的拾得物/现有物(Objet Trouvé)。
Each piece was a testament to Catherine’s mastery of her craft and her reverence for the beauty of the natural world, namely the Objet Trouvé.
一进来，首先映入眼帘的就是各式各样的原材料，以及雅致的空间风格。在Catherine的工作坊里，各种金属的炼金术就这样在眼前展开。她为原始的材料注入生命，将墨鱼骨和鱼骨架转化为精美的珠宝。墨鱼骨经过精心雕刻，制成复杂的模具，为她的珠宝作品抛光的表面增添了一丝有机的质感。材料的纹理落在珠宝上，也落上古老工艺和现代创新的印记。
Upon entering, one is immediately struck by the juxtaposition of raw materials and refined elegance. In Catherine’s workshop, the alchemy of metal unfolded before eager eyes, as she breathed life into raw materials, transforming cuttle fish bones and fish skeletons into exquisite jewelry. The bones, carefully carved to create intricate molds, add a touch of organic texture to the polished surfaces of her jewelry pieces that bore the imprints of ancient craftsmanship and modern innovation.
工作坊地面上的木栅格无法令人忽视。它的作用既实用又优雅：防止珠子和其他精致材料滑落。她拿出的古画展示了这一传统技艺，体现了她对工艺和细节的深刻理解。
One can not ignore the wooden lattice on the ground of Catherine’s workshop. It serves a practical yet elegant purpose: to prevent pearls and other delicate materials from slipping away. This traditional technique, demonstrated in old paintings she showed us, reflects a deep understanding of craftsmanship and attention to detail.
告别时，旅程的记忆仍像门阶上暗淡的烛光。在Catherine的世界里，创造力不仅仅是一种追求——它是一种生活方式，证明了人类精神超越边界的持久力量，关于如何在现有物之间，建立跨越想象深度的联结。它仍照亮着。
As we bid farewell, the memory of our journey lingered like the fading glow of the candle at the doorstep. In Catherine’s world, creativity was not just a pursuit—it was a way of life, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit to transcend boundaries and forge connections that spanned the depths of imagination, just among the objects. It is still illuminating.
- Words: Fynn
- Photos: Paris Brummer
