Jean Christophe Baudu
Visiteur
© Conception Créa Passion
Jean Christophe Baudu • Sculpteur d'os • Bijoux Art Tahiti • Bijoux d’Art Polynésien • Parure Tahiti • Bague Tahiti • Collier Tahiti • Conditions générales • Contact
croquis n°2
croquis n°1
The artist
The Creative Spirit
Of an Artist Craftsman
Seeking beauty in his work
Harmonizing creativity with quality
Easter Island was the beginning point of an enlightening journey, soaring towards new horizons !
Jean-Christophe was drawn to the lure of the Polynesian culture, which he first encountered through the arts of sculpture on bone and tattoo in Easter Island. A resident of Moorea, Tahiti’s sister island, Jean-Christophe devoted himself to the creation of ethnic jewelry—using natural materials, such as mother-of-pearl, fossilized ivory, rare woods, semi-precious stones, and bone, his favorite. As he touches it, feels it, polishes it, retains the essential, purifies it, and infuses it with his “mana” (spirit) Jean Christophe transforms this often disdained raw material into a noble object. The smooth white bone becomes like ivory, the artist unveils its perfection. Once he mastered his technique, the artist began working on more contemporary creations where he mixes mother-of-pearl and bone, symbolic of the contrasts of Oceania—the earth and sea—with black pearl and stone inlays, and his ever present tattoo inspired engravings.
These materials which were traditionally worn by men have now been adapted to women. Though the bulk of Jean-Christophe’s work is masculine—with hooks and pendants, his fine jewelry and rings appeal to the feminine sensibilities with innovative designs and sensual curves. His preferred motifs are:
The fern, symbolic of healing, associated with the traditional Tahitian doctors “taote taurumi” and massage; and also used in New Zealand where the Maori associate it with fertility. This motif occupies a central place in Jean-Christophe’s work “Numerous events in my personal life have entwined me with this fern...”
Bamboo: symbolic of connection, the family
The ray, barracuda, and shark: protective totem animals for some families or tribes
The turtle: long life, wisdom
Hiro: the god of war, the god of gods
The Marquesian cross
The bird (manu): the journey
J is designed to resemble a (Herminette—c’est quoi en anglais??? Un marteau? “hammer”) traditionally used in sculpture, and a dot at the end of the C represents the first tattoo of man. Thus JC, the initials of Jean-Christophe.