Alexander Calder is the grandfather of artist jewellery, so when gallerist Louisa Guinness saw her mother-in-law wearing a Calder necklace she had bought for a song from the artist 25 years ago, she knew an exhibition was a must. Over the course of two years, Guinness called on private collectors, experts and the Alexander Calder Foundation to create a show at her eponymous gallery – the first solo exhibition of the late artist’s jewellery design in the UK.
Necklaces, brooches, bangles and earrings are displayed on headless mannequins, swathed in red robes, and on red leather bondage-bound torsos and heads. It’s a fittingly avant garde mise-en-scene created by Norwegian fashion designer Elise Overland.
Calder favoured simple, found materials over precious ones – bronze and silver over gold, stones and glass over diamonds and gemstones. He would hammer and bend metals into outsized, unwieldy zigzags, swirls and spirals (a favourite motif) and tie them together with wire, by hand, rather than using a soldering iron. He started making pieces for his sister’s dolls when he was a child, and later, in the 1930s, for his wife. His homespun, unorthodox approach soon became popular with many forward thinking women of the time, and photographs of Peggy Guggenheim, Georgia O’Keeffe and Anjelica Huston decked in his necklaces, brooches and jaggedy earrings line one wall of the gallery.
Calder only ever made one-offs, and 15 pieces in the show are for sale (his mobiles sell for upwards of £1m, and the rare unique jewellery pieces do not come cheap either). Alexander SC Rower, president the Calder Foundations says: ‘Making jewellery was extremely personal for my grandfather and he adamantly refused to edition his pieces. Each piece is unique, just like his mobiles. His pioneering aesthetic remains an inspiration for a league for studio jewellers today.’
Guinness commissioned photographer Alexander English to create a series of portraits of young women wearing Calder pieces. The aim, she explains, is to show Calder’s ‘timelessness and of-the-moment relevance and his continuous appeal’.
Pictured left: 'Brass' necklace, c.1940. Right: 'Flower', c.1945.
Pictured left: 'Silver and Cloth' necklace, c.1942. Right: Alexander English shoots Calder jewellery for Louisa Guinness Gallery.
Pictured left: 'Untitled' brooch, 1940. Right: Georgia O'Keeffe, wearing 'OK' brooch. c.1945.
Pictured left: Alexander English shoots Calder jewellery for Louisa Guinness Gallery. Right: 'Untitled', c.1940.
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Louisa Guinness Gallery website
ADDRESS
Louisa Guinness Gallery
45 Conduit Street
London, W1S 2YN
-
In Wales, Michelin-starred Gorse celebrates the country’s abundant larderGorse is the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Cardiff, putting Welsh cuisine on the map. We speak with chef and founder Tom Waters about the importance of keeping culinary traditions alive
-
Ludmilla Balkis’ organic, earthy ceramics embody the Basque countrysideThe sculptor-ceramicist presents a series inspired by and created from found natural objects in a New York exhibition
-
At this secret NYC hangout, the drinks are strong and the vibes are strongerFor People's bar, Workstead serves up a good time
-
Cartier’s major new exhibition opens at the V&A and it’s a gem‘Cartier’ at the V&A in London takes an epic tour through the house’s history and archives
-
Van Cleef & Arpels light up London with the Dance Reflections festivalVan Cleef & Arpels are celebrating their ties with the world of choreography with the second edition of the Dance Reflections festival across London
-
As London’s V&A spotlights Mughal-era design, Santi Jewels tells of its enduring relevance‘The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence’ is about to open at London’s V&A. Here, Mughal jewellery expert and Santi Jewels founder Krishna Choudhary tells us of the influence the dynasty holds today
-
Discover the fantastical jewellery world of Castro NYC in LondonCarpenters Workshop Jewellery celebrates the work of Castro NYC with a London exhibition
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windowsFour British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Self-Portrait launches first jewellery collectionSelf-Portrait rethinks traditional motifs in its first jewellery collection, turning the feminine flounces of the bow into chic, contemporary pieces
-
Seiko shines a light on conceptual Japanese watch designSeiko’s Power Design Project 2024 at Japan House London explores watchmaking potential with seven ‘incredibly specialised watches’
-
Van Cleef & Arpels' immersive London exhibition takes visitors inside the watchmaking worldVan Cleef & Arpels’ exhibition, ‘Poetry of Time’, at South Kensington’s Cromwell Place gallery, traces the early days of the maison
