A Filipino Artist Is Included the U.K.'s Official Platinum Jubilee Book Celebrating the Life of Queen Elizabeth II

In honor of the late great Queen Elizabeth II, royal publisher St. James House of London just released the official platinum jubilee book. With it comes a curated selection of brands that exhibit, of course, the epitome of luxury. Interestingly, the book also features a Filipino artist's work for the first time in its roster of brands.

Meet Ivan Co, who has now had his works featured in Singapore, Las Vegas, and London. Two of his sculptures in particular, "LOZENGE" and "ORBIS," have turned heads all over the United Kingdom. So much so that they were published in Strive for Perfection: The Official Platinum Jubilee Edition.

Co is a veteran jewelry maker and artist best known for his intricate sculptures, which make use of semi-precious gems, metals, and alloy. These are odes to dynastic art in many ways, and they are just mesmerizing. The artist, we can observe, has a profound understanding of mobility and depth in his work, as well as of the complexity of these materials. We can see the poise in how these pieces move—how they weave, bend, suspend, and flow. 

"LOZENGE" by Ivan Co. It definitely exudes modernity, grace, and regal refinement

Photo by IVAN CO.

Ivan Co's kinetic bejewelled sculpture "ORBIS."

Photo by IVAN CO.

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"I believe the number-one thing I strive for is innovation," Co explains in the book. "...I wanted my pieces to provide an escape, as they do for me."

Launching earlier this month and only a month after her passing, Strive for Perfection: The Official Platinum Jubilee Edition is a celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign. The collector's item is produced by the International Club for Rolls-Royce and Bentley Enthusiasts. Brands such as Breguet, Bovet, and Lladro, among others, are also featured in the book. And so are Co's bejewelled sculptures.

“It was a unanimous yes from the entire team when we’ve chosen artist Ivan Co to be featured in the book. His works resonate what the book is all about: a regal celebration of the glorious reign of Her Majesty the Queen," says royal biographer of the British Monarchy Robert Jobson. "We have seen no other artist whose style and aesthetic reverberated what we are trying to convey."

A closer look at "Orbis." Look at how the metal and the jewels flow and float. Just sublime. Art critics have praised Co's pieces for their "trance-like" pull.

Photo by IVAN CO.

Ivan Co and his wife, Dior, at the launch in Grosvenor House Hotel, Central London.

Photo by IVAN CO.

Jobson also writes of Co's work: "The first time I saw Ivan’s work, it brought me back to the glamor of ancient royalty where gold and gems are acclaimed. It transports you to a different world. It truly is an experience."

We could not have said it better ourselves. The self-proclaimed "paracosmic" artist's works are quite the spectacle. They communicate quiet elegance, methodical precision, and dignity. Now that's how you honor Queen Elizabeth II's memory.