|
RAPAPORT... De Beers Diamond Jewellers and photographer Mary McCartney opened the "Moments in Light" exhibition on June 5 at The Royal Academy of Arts to celebrate the spirit and unique stories of women from across the world, while raising funds for Women for Women International. During the evening affair, a dinner was prepared for guests by one of the selected women in the project, Skye Gyngell. De Beers unveiled its 1888 Master Diamonds, showcasing a selection of colored diamonds of exceptional character and the De Beers Creative Solitaires statement pieces. 
In this Moments in Light series, portraits were created of Michelin star chef Gyngell along with contemporary artist and sculptor Cornelia Parker, fashion designer Alice Temperley, dancer and choreographer Aszure Barton and artist and photographer Chen Man. The Moments in Light exhibit provided insight into each woman's life, career and inspirations, and through a short film, viewers learned of the journey of each woman's Moment in Light, where a particular moment in time inspired her to succeed, which became possible through the support of others. McCartney said, "Selecting such an exciting array of talent for Moments In Light has been a real journey and a great project to work on with De Beers. Each woman has inspired me with their passion, enthusiasm and creative flare. It has been an honor to photograph them, to curate this unique project and in doing so, to support Women for Women International. It's a very exciting project for me to reveal these talented women in a new light." François Delage, the CEO of De Beers Diamond Jewellers, added, "Moments in Light is a really special project for us, as by celebrating talented women we are both inspiring women to be proud of their own achievements as well as helping women in difficult situations around the world through Women for Women International. It is truly a project for women, by women, where we wanted to express through their Moments in Light our own soul, which is about revealing the brilliance of women and of diamonds. Working with Mary McCartney has been both effortless and beautiful as we instantly had the same understanding and vision for the project, its featured women and the way to express them." Brita Fernandez Schmidt, the executive director of Women for Women International U.K., said, "I am inspired by the De Beers Moments in Light campaign and so grateful to the incredible women taking part in the initiative. With the help of De Beers, 150 women survivors of war and conflict will go through the Women for Women International year-long program. They will learn new skills and gain the confidence and knowledge that will allow them to rebuild their lives. In turn, they will improve the lives of their families and inspire other women to believe in themselves. Moments in Light will give hope and opportunities to women who are otherwise often forgotten." View the series here: http://www.momentsinlight.co.uk/
|