In this photo taken in Iceland during the photoshoot for Vacheron Constantin’s “One of Not Many” campaign, Zaria Forman gazes serenely at the preternaturally beautiful blue horizon, punctuated by land, water and ice. The American artist and explorer appears dazzled. “I am pretty much in a state of constant awe when traversing landscapes”, she confides, moved by the natural splendors that surround her and that she captures on her travels through the polar regions, camera slung over her shoulder. “My aim as an artist is to offer viewers an opportunity to experience isolated places that they might not otherwise have the chance to visit”, she continues. “Art has a special ability to tap into our emotions. I show the beauty of what we stand to lose in my drawings in order to inspire people.” The reason seems almost self-evident: “When you fall in love with something, you want to protect it.”
The environment as a background
Her photographs, taken in some of the most remote places on the planet, usually in polar landscapes, are the source of her field of expression: ice textures that she then reproduces in pastel on XXL canvases with infinite precision. Over the last 15 years, Zaria Forman has become a recognized and respected explorer. Since 2016, she has flown several times with NASA on scientific missions as part of Operation IceBridge over Antarctica, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. She was also chosen as artist-in-residence on board the National Geographic Explorer in Antarctica and was responsible for the very first permanent exhibitions of polar art during the Lindblad National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution expeditions. From these various odyssees, the New York artist brought back thousands of images which inspired her very large-scale works, displayed in galleries and museums around the world. Zaria Forman took part in Banksy’s temporary art project, Dismaland, a gloomy theme park inspired by the decadent excesses of our society.
Elegant adventures
Zaria Forman’s artistic talent, determination, taste for exploration and openness to the world appealed to Vacheron Constantin, which chose her to personify the Overseas collection. At the end of the summer, the Geneva-based Maison announced its partnership with the artist, who now joins photographer and explorer Cory Richards as “One of Not Many” and the feminine face of the Overseas collection.
After expanding its sporty elegance collection in the spring to include new timepieces designed to adorn all wrists with their unprecedented 35mm diameter, Vacheron Constantin is continuing its exploration of the Overseas stylistic field. The latest model is a likewise 35mm, all pink gold self-winding Overseas with a diamond-set bezel. A departure from the sporty-chic matire of the collection? Not really. “Our sporty-chic watches are available in steel as well as precious metals, sometimes even set with diamonds as on this new automatic Overseas”, points out Vacheron Constantin’s Style & Heritage Director Christian Selmoni. Geared up for adventure and equally at home on special occasions, this new Overseas equipped with an in-house movement is an invitation to express one’s taste for refinement as well as for adventure and exploration – and doubtless also to draw inspiration from the way Zaria Forman inhabits the world, with passion and undeniable elegance.
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