Bling Ring - Lyon, Fr
In 2022, Louise Vurpas participated in Bling Ring, an exhibition on contemporary jewelry alongside 23 other jewelers at the Friche Artistique Lamartine in Lyon. This exhibition was later presented in Paris in October 2023 as part of the Parcours Bijoux event.
For this event, which, as the name suggests, revolved around the theme of glitz, Louise chose to reinterpret materials by working with silver in two forms: metal and banknotes.
She created two rings that played with this duality:
The "Caillasse" Ring: Banknotes were treated as raw material, akin to an uncut gemstone, sculpted into an oversized solitaire.
The "Porte Feuilles" Ring: Banknotes, neatly set in place, replaced the alignment of traditional gemstones in the design.
With these creations, Louise playfully explored the concepts of material and monetary preciousness, challenging their traditional codes and values.
Amulett Gallery - Bern, Ch
For this exhibition, Louise explored the theme of family heirloom jewelry. She chose to repurpose paper—a simple and inexpensive material—transforming it into something more precious, exemplified by her creation of a paper diamond necklace!
Using old books from her grandfather, found in the attic, she cut, glued, sewed, shaped, and experimented to bring her vision to life.
Through this choice of material, Louise sought to highlight the idea of heritage and transmission: just as we inherit a family heirloom, we also pass down a beautiful book, preserving stories and memories across generations.
Tactil Gallery - Geneva, Ch
For her graduation project, Louise once again explored the concept of repurposing materials. She focused on animal matter—particularly chicken—due to its ordinary nature and affordability, aiming to elevate it by imbuing it with a refined and precious quality.
She carved bone, experimented with tanning the leather from chicken feet, and applied meticulous craftsmanship. By reinterpreting classic jewelry forms, she transformed this raw material into something unexpectedly luxurious.
It was during this period that Louise became intrigued by chicken bones, and later, bovine bones, which possess an ivory-like quality that she now enjoys incorporating into her creations.
Studio Cyclorama - Lyon, Fr
Back in Lyon in 2012, Louise organized an exhibition at the Cyclorama photo studio, aiming to share her vision of contemporary jewelry with her hometown.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann - Paris, Fr
During the January 2014 Paris trade shows, Paris Capitale de la Création took over the 14 display windows of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann to showcase the upcoming spring-summer 2014 fashion and design trends to the public.
For this occasion, six brands were selected and highlighted, including Louise Vurpas Jewelry, which had the honor of representing the Bijorhca trade show.
High School of Art and Design - Geneva, Ch
In 2007, shortly after joining HEAD Geneva, Louise Vurpas' project titled "Ring & Wood" was selected for display at Inhorgenta Munich, the leading trade show for jewelry, fine jewelry, watches, contemporary jewelry, and design.