Philosophy of Craft

Science meets art

Science and art have in common the curiosity of the world. Scientific thinking is almost synonymous with recognizing and forming patterns. Every hypothesis and theory is the discovery of a pattern within some set of observations. The creative scientist needs an artistic imagination. Both are driven by the same force: curiosity and creativity. In Science, you want to be new, different, original, true and generate something that will eventually improve the quality of life of other people. In art, you want to be new, different, original, true and generate something that will eventually be enjoyed by people.

«Craft» means different things to different people but the clear difference between the manufactured and the made is the manipulation of materials by hand. This automatically gives the handmade a rarity value. Work produced this way is highly individual by nature.

While I used to combine formulas, I today experiment with colors and materials. Imagination has no limit. I am fascinated by formulas, colors, innovation and development. Whether I work with chemical agents or yarn – the pleasure of creative experimentation is the same. Every step continues to create new materials, shapes and structures and contributes to the achievement of our items that live in who decides to wear or use them.

La Cueva represents an unique opportunity to appreciate the designs across a wide range of disciplines. Some pieces, produced by using techniques that date back hundreds of years, can be one of a kind or be made in small batches, but the results are always highly original.

About me

Fabiana Fernandez – La CuevaScience was the reason why I left my homeland Argentina almost 20 years ago. Love found the reasons why I continued to stay in Switzerland. I did my PhD thesis at the University of Buenos Aires in Biochemistry. After three years, I came to Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zurich (ETH) to do a PostDoc for 2 years. 2003, my husband and I founded  GlycoVaxyn, a spin-off of the ETH. Until 2014, I worked for the company. 2015, I founded «La Cueva», my studio where I enjoy the passion of creation. – Fabiana Fernandez