Studio Visit
DLV
**Q:** In a light-filled atelier, surrounded by objects that inspire, Mark de la Vega runs DLV. His studio is built on experience and fueled by art, history and the true value of luxury.
The diversity of materials and techniques that you use at DLV are really impressive. Hearing about the process of sourcing eggs for your beautiful Coquille D’oeuf technique for instance is so specific. Using this technique as an example, was it something you were looking for to get a particular look or was it more of a situation in which the process found you?
We source the organic chicken eggs for their integrity. The shells hold up to our rigorous process of cooking, cutting, and cleaning the shell before we use them. When we used the cheapest eggs (non organic) the shells crumbled and we lost most of the inventory. Also it is a lot harder to make something beautiful from a pile of dust. We want quality hemispheres so that we have a starting place for the piece that can be reminiscent of the life of the material. I want there to be traces of the oblong shapes hidden within the surfaces we create. That’s what makes it special, that is why our collectors invest.
To do the kind of work that DLV does takes a lifetime of commitment to the details. So would it be fair to say that even though you’ve been designing for quite some time now that in a way you’re just getting started?
That’s exactly it. You nailed it. I am not concerned about overnight success. I am concerned about how our body of work shows in 5 years, 10 years, and beyond. I create these pieces to far outlive me.
