Nicola Bolla

Italian artist Nicola Bolla collaborated with photographer Sergio Alfrendini to produce this series of photos documenting his glittering Swaroviski crystal-covered sculptures. Nicola takes sometimes-sinister objects and coats them in the sparkling crystals. Placed in haunting and dark scenes, the photographs accentuate the disturbing but glamorous nature of the sculptures. His work is arresting in its contrasts.  The artist often fashions sculptures of straightforward (and morbid) objects that are then covered in sparkling crystals.  The glamorous glitter of the crystal is juxtaposed against the utilitarian nature of many of the objects they cover.  These are further contrasted in these images taken by the photographer. The dilapidated house provides a strangely ideal setting to emphasize these brightly dark sculptures. He  is best known for transforming beautiful materials into memorably crude sculptures that explore mortality. We loved his hauntingly compelling installations that involved skull heads, piles of loose bones, and other death-related objects that are completely coated with sparkling Swarovski crystals. The Swarovski Sculpture toilet is unforgettable too. You can find more of Nicola Bolla work in his book entitled Empireo. These images will take you on a visual journey through his work.