ABOUT ADRIÁN CRUZ ELEMENTS

Mexican architect Adrián Cruz, graduated from the University of Florence, Italy, creates bold lighting under his eponymous studio. His exposure to resin began in Mexico City with objects his grandfather made—toys, buttons, and household products, as well as more artistic forms like flowers and insects. Now, he pairs his background in architecture with his foundation in resin art to develop lights. Drawn to the translucency and the 3D illusion that light creates through the resin, he uses his grandfather's technique, mixing colors inspired by his Mexican culture with materials like onyx and marble. There, Cruz nods to his geologist father as well as his Mexican heritage — green onyx, in particular, has a long history of use in religious objects and adornments in pre-Hispanic Mexico. With its earthy green nuances, Mexican onyx offers a striking play on texture alongside the smooth, precise resin. Though Cruz never met his grandfather, his work brings him closer all the time: “I feel a connection with him through the objects he left, and now with the ones I’m creating,” he says.