Vika Tonu
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.
I am part of the Creation and creation is part of me.
Air, fire, water and earth are elements that form my being,
While the stars guide and protect my way…”
Soul, meaning, symbol and pure form are the characteristics that represent Vika Tonu Design jewellery, a brand born in 2013, after Victoria Tonu graduated Interdisciplinary Art and Design Course in Huddersfield, UK. The Bucharest-based artist continued her studies of resistant materials at ALCHIMIA Contemporary Jewellery School in Firenze, Italy thus deepening her research in modern designs and traditional jewellery techniques.
In addition to her jeweller vocation, in 2018 Victoria becomes a certified gemologist after graduating The Gemology Course at the Romanian Gemological Center in Timisoara, Romania.
Victoria believes in the power of a hand-made object, always unique, which imbued with symbolism and esoteric becomes a totem, elusively reminding the wearer about the elements that are present in our personalities. Greek culture and alphabet, alchemy, universal protective signs, astrology and anthroposophy are Victoria`s constant source of inspiration, while the more conceptual jewellery is always created as a message of own introspection and growth.
Her style can be described as minimalistic, geometric, one of simplification striving to achieve the essence of things.
Either alone or in collaborations, Vika Tonu Design jewellery succeeded to be presented and displayed at various events and exhibitions, both national and international: Vienna Design Week (”Re.Re. Overriding design with Art and vice-versa, 2016), London Fashion Week 2015 – International Fashion Showcase (Special Mention for ”Best Designer” – Vika Tonu & Alexandru Nimurad for jewellery collection ”Ensemble of Broken Pieces”), Romanian Design Week 2013, Autor Contemporary Jewellery Fair Bucharest, Pelișor Castle – Sinaia, galleries in Berlin, Frankfurt, Antwerp, Bucharest, concept stores in Regensburg, Chisinau, among different local fairs and fashion events.
Her collaborations include artists like Alexandru Nimurad, Naiana Vatavu, brands like NOON, Imaculatura, WOLF25, Studio Cabal, while press appearances number among Harper`s Bazaar, Beau Monde, Decanted Design, The Institute Magazine, Psychologies Magazine, VIVA, Feeder, SUB25, Art7.fm, Promotime Moldova, Everydayjournalism.md, Experimentalist, and many others.