Jaeger-LeCoultre Celebrates the Reverso
Jaeger-LeCoultre is continuing to expand on its relationship between watchmaking and the arts through its artistic program “Made of Makers.” Through its series of collaborations with artists and artisans from various creative disciplines, the timepiece company has built a community of like-minded creators who share visions, conversations, and an esteemed respect for making objects by hand. First, that begins with each subject traveling to the brand’s headquarters in Vallée de Joux for an unforgettable, immersive experience, allowing for inspiration to flow naturally.
Most recently, Jaeger-LeCoultre tapped the Los Angeles-based multimedia artist Brendi Wedinger for a “Made of Makers” partnership, in celebration of its Reverso design. Renowned for her work in 3D digital arts, sculpture, and floristry, she often is inspired by nature and explores its beauty to blur the boundaries between art, nature, and reality.
“Rather than using a computer program to design the work from the outset, I always begin by using the technical tools to hand-sculpt the larger three-dimensional elements, such as the petals of a flower, and hand-draw the fine details. Once I have completed this stage, I use a lot of mathematical equations to create textures, transparency, and layering effects,” said Wedinger. “What drew me to the digital medium is that it gives me more tools to play with and a wider scope for experimentation so that my work becomes a more expressive homage to nature rather than a literal representation of it.”
Inspired by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Vallée de Joux
For her “Made of Makers” presentation, the artist created a series of three 3D flowers inspired by her visit to Vallée de Joux. “Everything about that visit—from the wildflowers in the fields to the incredible complexity and tiny scale of the watch components and the patience and skill of all the different craftsmen in the Manufacture—was like a romantic fantasy world, so far from the lightning-fast pace of modern life,” she said. “Aside from the natural beauty of the valley, I felt very inspired by the high-complication watches and the unique details you find in them. I wanted the flowers to be complex and one-of-a-kind, like the watches, with all of the beauty and immense detail that can be found in both.”
In celebration of Wedinger’s work presented in all Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques worldwide this holiday season, Whitwall spoke with the artist about her “Made of Makers” creations.
Brendi Wedinger, courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
WHITEWALL: Take us back to your visit to Jaeger-LeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux. How did this inform the works we see in “Made of Makers”?
BRENDI WEDINGER: The visit to the Vallée de Joux was the catalyst for the collaboration. The towering mountains, rolling green fields of wildflowers captured my heart. During my exploration inside the Manufacturer, I was mesmerized by the intricate handcrafted details and complexities inherent in High Watchmaking. Poetically, the watches’ unique blend of shapes, finishes, and textures felt akin to the captivating intricacies and different shapes and textures found within flowers. When I made this connection I knew I wanted to focus on this metaphor for the project.
WW: Your recent floral creations are an homage to a variety of flowers found in the Vallée de Joux, which Jaeger-LeCoulture has protected and bred, including the 1931 Golden Poppy, the 1931 Golden Thistle, and the 1931 White Orchid. All pay tribute to the Reverso’s year of origin—1931. How do your flowers speak to this?
BW: Uniquely within the collaboration, I have brought the striking beauty of the Vallée de Joux up close and center to the public. I wanted the gilded blooms to capture the spectacular floral biodiversity of the Vallée in a surrealist golden dream. The delicate sculpting I have done to create these three 1931 blooms is a line of connection to the meticulous craft that Jaeger-LeCoultre’s artisans compose in their watches. If this is a person’s first introduction to the Vallée de Joux, I think the floral artworks serve as an alluring and captivating invitation to explore further.
Art Meets Technology to Illuminate Nature
WW: How does this elaborate on your current creative practice in 3D digital art, sculpture, and floristry, but offer something unique?
BW: I want each artwork I make to have its own identity. Within my creative practice, I do not like to repeat usage of my sculpted pieces in the artwork I make. I do not repeat sculptures because it serves as a homage to the millions of different plants and animals on our planet. So each piece I create is a new experience, celebrating a variety of different species, transformed through a surrealist lens. For my collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre, I upheld this practice. My collaboration with Jaeger-LeCoultre offered a new perspective on the biodiversity of the Vallée de Joux.
WW: How were the florals made?
BW: After light sketching, I sculpt each part of the flower digitally by hand using a program called Zbrush. This part of the process is my favorite even though it’s the most time-consuming. Once each piece of the flower is sculpted I compose them in Cinema 4D, where I can animate the flowers and add the textures using Octane Render.
WW: How did your work move into the tech world? What does working with technology allow you to experiment with, or represent, about nature?
BW: For me, 3D art provides a versatile and flexible medium to capture and express my dialogue with nature. I have infinite possibilities to capture many different materials and structures. I can 3D print my creations to bring them into the physical world or animate them for a screen. Working with new technology allows me increased opportunities to bring my ideas to life and create immersive experiences.
Artwork by Brendi Wedinger, courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Jaeger-LeCoultre’s “Made of Makers” Program
WW: What did being in the “Made of Makers” program enable you to do, utilizing its resources?
BW: The Made of Makers program is a collection of creatives from varying backgrounds and mediums. The program does a wonderful job in helping expose our work to the world and create special experiences for the brand’s clients and bring art to the public. This was the first time I had my artwork presented physically at such a worldwide scale. Seeing the large Golden Orchid in the boutiques was so exciting. It has been wonderful to see people enjoy the flowers.
WW: What relationship do you see between horology and art—making watches and creating 3D digital art, sculpture, and floristry?
BW: I believe watchmaking is an art form in itself. Selecting a watch to wear is a deeply emotional and expressive choice, akin to choosing an artwork for one’s own home. When Jaeger-LeCoultre spotlights art on the forefront of their communications and boutiques, it allows the viewer to be immersed within the brand’s universe, beliefs and heritage in a creative and captivating way.
The creative principles of watchmaking resonate with principles and dedication to craft found in visual arts and design. Both watch-making and digital art require meticulous precision and profound attention to detail. In both crafts, we carefully construct intricate elements to create a harmonious whole, blending technical expertise with artistic creativity to produce pieces that captivate the viewer or wearer.
WW: To link these works back to the maison, Jaeger-LeCoultre added an official name to each flower, paying tribute to the Reverso watch’s year of origin. What’s your favorite flower from the series?
BW: The Golden Orchid. Orchids, all 26,000 of them, are my favorite flowers to study. I am fascinated by their strong, striking shapes and colors.
Courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
A Love Letter to Nature
WW: You’re based in LA, and your work reflects your surroundings, blending the organic world with craftsmanship. What do you hope to portray about nature in your pieces?
BW: I like to think of my artwork as love letters back to nature. I am focusing on what intrigues me and sharing my gratitude for nature through a loving surrealist lens. I think immense magic can be found in nature. I enjoy increasing the dreamlike quality by remixing my natural subject matter’s form language and/or incorporating surprising materiality. Fond feelings towards nature will always exist in my subconscious.
WW: This installation is in boutiques for the holidays. How will you be spending the holidays?
BW: Earlier this month, I visited Munich, Germany for a talk with Vogue Germany at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s new boutique. While I was in Europe I also visited Nuremberg, Germany, and Vienna, Austria to enjoy the Christmas markets and winter festivities. It was a wonderful way to kick off the Holiday Season. For the rest of December, I will be spending time with family and enjoying lots of good food.
WW: What are you looking forward to in 2024?
BW: In 2024, I am looking forward to finishing some new artwork inspired by the sea life and coral I witnessed during my recent scuba diving trips in the Indian Ocean.
Brendi Wedinger, courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre.
