Studio Job: Tree of Life

The new installation by Antwerp and Amsterdam-based design firm Studio Job in Miami features hand-painted and gilded sculpture rich in ornamentation.

Tree of Life is an ancient mythological and philosophical symbol alluding to the interconnectivity between the earth and the universe. The eight meters sculpture represents a European oak tree tap dancing on the tips of its roots on a massive marble plinth. Its trunk holds a crystal cladded globe, endlessly spinning while wild roses slowly advance.

The monumental and detailed work is inspired by an array of memories and fragments of the imagination. Cast following age-old artistic production processes, the installation is made of bronze and aluminum, rare marble, crystals and mosaic. The grinding, welding, polishing, gilding, silvering, hand painting and assembly of this work were all technically engineered by the Studio Job atelier to be resistant to the weather conditions of Florida’s coastline.

“Tree of Life pays homage to one of Europe’s greatest goldsmiths at that time, Johann Melchior Dinglinger, honoring the bizarre renaissance days of the 17th century when the elector of Saxony, known as August the Strong ruled,” notes Job Smeet. “The piece is an important centerpiece in our lifelong practice of extreme craftsmanship and we were inspired to bring a contemporary take on these historic techniques.”