Grace Wardlaw’s Crystal Temple

Grace Wardlaw has built a whole crystallized universe ranging from nails, necklaces and eyelashes to sex toys. She has even sculpted custom crystal pieces for iconic artists such as Rosalia, Arca, Bjork or Lil Nas, becoming one of the leading exponents of this experimental art.

Since Wardlaw began collaborating with Los Angeles nail artist Sojin Oh, creating glass pieces for Rosalia and Eilish and Lil Nas X, Grimes, Bjork and Arca, the focus of his glassblowing practice has continued to expand. It also coincides with a time when glass is having its big moment in the fashion industry, as we could see through the magnitude of the glass version of the Coperni created by New York glassware brand Heven.

CRYSTALLIZING AN AESTHETIC

Wardlaw was introduced to the world of glass as a child, fascinated by the process in which the flames of fire melt glass. After studying art in college, she partnered with her friend Claire Anderson to create a hand-designed and hand-lapped glass sex toy company called Peace Lily Toys.

Their erotic pieces stand as works of art that can be displayed on shelves when not being used to give pleasure. In this regard, they have even created a range of butt plugs that double as vases.

The Canadian-based artist has since been crystallizing her aesthetic in the collective imagination. An act with which she dilutes her inner world, materializing items with which she also embellished the hands of Rosalía and Billie Eilish for her music video Lo Vas A Olvidar, which appeared with illuminated nails on a dark background.

To this day, G.W. continues to create all kinds of wearable sculptures such as eyelashes, delicate facial ornaments, flowers, choker necklaces or crowns of thorns inspired by McQueen’s 1996 collection. He has thus built a temple in which he even crystallizes tears or transhumanist appliqués that represent a surreal escape from reality as we know it. Let the fantasy envelop us.