Cameos are gems carved in relief, showing an image of one colour on a surface of a contrasting colour. As decorative stones in rings, necklaces or earrings, those small pieces of jewellery were very popular in the Roman Empire.
RMO recently acquired a collection of those miniature masterpieces and asked Archetypisch to design a treasury-like room that underlines their uniqueness and exceptionally high quality.
Like the gems themselves, the space is built up in layers of light and dark. White glass panels are framing black showcases displaying the cameos. The panels resemble antique marble but couldn’t be more contemporary: The glass is made of 100% recycled glass waste and can be returned to the glass production cycle after use.
To bring out the relationship between the jewellery and the human body, Archetypisch commissioned Scheltens & Abbenes to make a clip for the exhibition. The models are not from flesh and bones though, it’s the antique sculptures collection of the museum who are the mannequins for the shoot. The bright marble skin carrying the luxurious jewels creates the ambiance of ultimate beauty and glamour.
Spatial design & film concept Archetypisch | Graphic design Esther de Vries | Film Scheltens & Abbenes | Light Chris Pype | Construction Fiction factory | Showcases Glascom | Installation AV Technodesk | Glass panels Magna Glaskeramik | Prints Riwi Collotype
Photography Mike Bink
November 2022