A contemporary jeweler born and based in Taxco, Mexico, Carmen Tapia grew up in a family of silversmiths. Studies in plastic arts and philosophy inform her creative process, which starts with investigating and manipulating the topological and plasticity properties of two-dimensional surfaces. By means of folds and pleats, she creates three-dimensional forms, to which she applies dynamic forces such as torsion, elongation, or contraction, thereby obtaining a harmonic geometric order very similar to the order of natural organic forms. Tapia works with models made of flexible and malleable materials, such as paper and wax, which then are transferred to silver through techniques such as lost-wax casting and forging. These techniques, and the ability of silver to reflect the light, allow her to create lightweight and luminous laminar surfaces and organic membranes, resulting in the creation of comfortable and easy-to-use pieces in large formats.
