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Modern jewellery, Art jewellery, Contemporary jewellery. What does it all mean? Now that is the eternal question. What I do know is that jewellery has never been just a meaningless trinket as so many high street peddlers would have you believe. Throughout history and all around the globe it has been saturated with meaning and symbolism. From the Druids to modern day religion people have used jewellery as a way to advertise their beliefs and convey a message.
Why is she telling me all of this? I hear you ask. Well I would like to take you on a journey I have just completed in my studio. I am a member of a group called the Association of Contemporary Jewellery and they put out a call for entries to their next exhibition called Glasshouses and here is the brief:
‘Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not for every man’s greed – Ghandi
The most pressing issue of our modern world is that of the climate emergency. With a continually increasing population, diminishing resources and the uncomfortable warming of the planet we call home, we must respond.
Through an exploration of materials, processes and/or concepts you are invited to submit work for the 2020 ACJ exhibition glasshouses. You may wish to consider themes such as growth, sustainability, fragility and transparency. ‘
Now this brief resonated with me, my work, my love of nature and the natural world so I got to work and here are the results.
Very nice but what have this ring and bangle got to do with the brief you may ask. Don’t worry, I too find inner meanings hard to read and like to be walked through the thought process. In fact the thing that makes any exhibition a success in my eyes, whether it be jewellery, fine art or fashion is clear explanations that make me take the time to have a second look at something through new eyes.
So here goes:
Constant battling between mankind and nature strips our planet of its resources. Modern technology and constant greed have wrung out the earth and is stripping away her beauty. But there is hope. If we act fast, open our eyes to the damage being done, nature can fight back through the cracks in the darkness and spring new life into the planet. Open your eyes, redress the balance, live in harmony with the world.
Man is represented by the highly polished silver, in a constant battle with the beautiful coloured beads of nature springing back through the gnarly copper of their relationship.
Materials – silver, recycled copper tube , glass beads
Did that help? Did it make you take a second look and feel a closer connection to the jewellery? I hope so. Jewellery will and always should be seen as a beautiful adornment but I hope that you will look a little deeper now, at the possible meanings imbedded in it, how it makes you feel and how it shows you to the world.
I will betaking this train of thought further in my blogs and hope you will join me.
Dani x
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