Golden Amazonia 1/1 box

“It’s up to us to understand that it’s not the gold nugget that’s valuable, but the land that holds it.”
Arnaud Tritant.   The artist’s focus: the Amazon rainforest, its riches, its destruction and looting.
It’s also one of his most personal creations, as it emerges from a childhood memory: sitting on the pontoon of Port-Lligat beach, contemplating a strange house, it was Dali’s house.
It’s a tribute piece celebrating the cycle of life.
The work is composed of a giant burnt Cumaru wood egg lying on a patinated bronze base.
The inside of the trunk is also burnt, and upon opening it we discover a gold nugget levitating in the middle of this empty trunk.
A lighting system makes the gold nugget glow when the upper door is opened.
To maintain its functional aspect, a glass shelf can be placed inside the chest halfway up, above the levitating gold nugget.  MATERIALS & TECHNIQUES With the exception of the 24-carat gold leaf, the two hinges used to operate the trunk lid and the LED lighting integrated into the trunk, all materials used in the manufacture of this piece are natural and/or recycled. Body: The wood used is Cumaru (native to Brazil).
The boards used to make the furniture were salvaged from a demolition site in Sao Paulo.
In the middle of the chest, beneath a glass plate (recycled glass – recut) which serves as a flat base, a gold nugget seems to levitate (stone covered with 24-carat gold leaf), the heart of the piece of furniture and the installation.
The egg lies on a black bronze base with a hot patina (bronze from foundry remains).
Finally, a thin brass rod locks the lid in the open position.
A motion detector and LED light have been integrated inside the structure to illuminate the gold nugget or the contents of the chest when it is opened.  MAINTENANCE Burnt wood part: Clean the surface of the box by dusting or vacuuming.
Do not use any additive cleaning products.
Do not use wipes, tissues or microfibers.
The use of a feather duster is recommended. Brass parts: clean with a dry microfiber cloth to maintain the polished appearance.
Installation of a brownish patina is not a problem. Stone gilded with gold leaf: Dusting with a feather duster. Patinated bronze base: Clean with a dry microfiber cloth, without additives.
The work is packed in two OSB transport crates.
One main crate containing the structure on its base (dim.
115 cm x 73cm x (h)80 cm) and a second crate containing the glass top (dim.
115 cm x 73cm x (h)12cm).