Emptiness

Inspired by ancient oriental philosophies, for which absence is as important as presence, the Emptiness collection aims to give the right importance to empty space, the creator of every form that surrounds us.

“The entirety of space is within every single blade of grass”

Takuan Soho, ancient Buddhist monk

Since antiquity, the Western world has seen empty space as an alienating absence, a deficiency, or a space necessarily to be filled. Aristotle argued against the existence of empty space; Leibniz considered it imperfect. In some artistic movements, such as the exuberant Italian Baroque, every single empty space had to be filled with decorations and colours.

This fear of empty space, or horror vacui, has stayed with us, so much so that we seldom realise how fundamental absence is in our daily lives. The absence of a loved one makes us more eager to find love, the absence of freedom allows us to discover the true value of every free action. And so, empty space, that which we do not see, allows forms to exist.

“Since nothing has arisen without depending on something, there is nothing that is not empty”

Nagarjuna, ancient Buddhist philosopher


In Buddhist philosophy, the concept of Emptiness emphasises the profound and intimate relationship that governs everything - nothing exists that is independent of the whole that surrounds it. Nothing is generated independently, nothing is the cause of itself. For this reason, empty space, absence, and reflection are as important as matter, presence, and action.

The message of the Emptiness collection is one of solidarity. Human beings are part of the Whole, and their role is to become aware that their lives belong to Nature. "No man is an island”, claimed the English poet John Donne in Devotions. If Human Beings understand that they are not at all independent and autonomous from what surrounds them, but comes to the awareness of being part of a Whole, of a flow of thoughts and consciousness, they will have a more harmonious relationship with Nature and the World, finding belonging and destination to Life itself.

Emptiness uses space and the interplay of forms to communicate its philosophy. The basic shapes that make up the universe, such as the circle, the line and the square, become the visual medium to understand the relationship between the present and the absent, between being and non-being. The intertwining, overlapping and empty spaces that characterise Emptiness jewellery visually represent this philosophy, which is encapsulated in the brevity of an ancient Sanskrit aphorism, "Form is emptiness, emptiness is form". The form itself is such thanks to the presence of Emptiness.

Emptiness is a meditation, an expression of love for Nature, an outburst of Harmony between the individuals and the Whole. The diamond-cut surface of many Emptiness jewels reflects the vastness of the firmament, whose bright stars have always guided human steps. The jewels belonging to this collection are intended to bring back the human eyes towards the open, blue spaces of the sky, so that the individual may become aware of his role in the World and his relationship with other Entities.