Art, adornment, object? A new exhibition explores the free spirit of studio jewellery
![Image of Sliver Bracelet](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/BCynbkecQT3LFkJYqL2D6V-415-80.jpg)
‘Jewellery functions on many levels – as adornment, as statement, as art,’ opines Annabelle Campbell, Head of Exhibitions and Collections at Crafts Council. ‘It exists at a blurry intersection.’
Crafts Council’s exhibition, ‘I Am Here: Portable Art, Wearable Objects’, at The Hospital Club in London sits at this crossroads. Narrating the story of contemporary art jewellery, it draws from works held in collections by Crafts Council, Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), and London spaces Galerie Marzee, Gallery S O and Pangolin London.
Centred on thoughtful, glass cabinet exhibition designs from London-based studio Julia, ‘I Am Here’ traces five decades of design from 1970. That era saw radical shifts in jewellery design, as jewellery makers increasingly threw non-precious materials into the creative mix.
Bangle, part of ‘Twelve Perspex Multiples Series’, by Susanna Heron, 1976.
The 1976 colourful cut-out pieces by the British art jeweller Susanna Heron are a case in point. Bangles of semi-transparent, Perspex disks, hang, twirl and sway, catching the light as the body moves, seeming to sculpt around it.
‘Jewellery is designed primarily to be worn, and its relationship with the body is a key factor for makers,’ Campbell explains. ‘This is a challenge for galleries and curators, where the jewellery must be appreciated absent of moving bodies.’ Seen here under glass-boxes, the designs gain a new type of gravitas. As Campbell says, ‘Each object takes on an alternative ego.’
One of the exhibition high points is a rare chance to see jewellery by British sculptor Lynn Chadwick, namely his ostentatiously large Oblong B Ring. Having created his large-scale bronze, copper and wood sculptures for two decades before foraying into jewellery, Chadwick was no stranger to creating static objects. Here you can see how he works his experience of large-scale metal manipulation into miniature wearable works; and his ring looks right at home in a static gallery setting (not least thanks to its sheer heft).
Comprising glass displays, alongside historical anecdotes, the exhibition also succeeds in highlighting that objects can be studied and enjoyed for the intricate details, political relevance, and as with David Bielander’s Lips, for example, the wry sense of humour that gives art jewellery form their singular character. Though jewellery is, of course, best seen on the body, Campbell and Julia have created a sensitive way of tracing art jewellery’s radical beginnings, in the confines of a gallery.
Lips brooch by David Bielander, 1999. Courtesy of Gallery S O
Oblong B Ring, by Lynn Chadwick, 1970. Courtesy of Pangolin London and the artist’s estate
Azaro Tarzan brooch, by Rodolfo Ramon, 1973.
Left, Ice Core brooch by Kirsten Haydon, 2012. Right, Fire brooch by Marc Monzó, 2010. Courtesy of Gallery S O
Bangles from ‘Twelve Perspex Multiples’ Series, by Susanna Heron, 1976.
INFORMATION
‘I AM HERE: Portable art, wearable objects, jewellery since the 1970s’ is on view until Until 28 August. For more information, visit the Craft Council website
ADDRESS
The Hospital Club
24 Endell Street
London WC2H 9HQ
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Elly Parsons is the Digital Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees Wallpaper.com and its social platforms. She has been with the brand since 2015 in various roles, spending time as digital writer – specialising in art, technology and contemporary culture – and as deputy digital editor. She was shortlisted for a PPA Award in 2017, has written extensively for many publications, and has contributed to three books. She is a guest lecturer in digital journalism at Goldsmiths University, London, where she also holds a masters degree in creative writing. Now, her main areas of expertise include content strategy, audience engagement, and social media.
-
Phaidon’s new Graphic Classics is a lavish greatest hits of graphic design
Graphic Classics is a compendium of seven centuries of visual culture, from the everyday and ephemeral to visionary works that reshaped our world
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Birley Chocolate hits the sweet ’n’ chic spot in London’s Chelsea
The new Birley Chocolate shop, a sibling to Birley Bakery, is a confection of colour as delicious as its finely crafted goods
By Melina Keays Published
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
Self-Portrait launches first jewellery collection
Self-Portrait rethinks traditional motifs in its first jewellery collection, turning the feminine flounces of the bow into chic, contemporary pieces
By Hannah Silver Published
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hit
What started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
By Elisa Anniss Published
-
Seiko shines a light on conceptual Japanese watch design
Seiko’s Power Design Project 2024 at Japan House London explores watchmaking potential with seven ‘incredibly specialised watches’
By James Gurney Published
-
Van Cleef & Arpels' immersive London exhibition takes visitors inside the watchmaking world
Van Cleef & Arpels’ exhibition, ‘Poetry of Time’, at South Kensington’s Cromwell Place gallery, traces the early days of the maison
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to know
These independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin’s zodiac jewellery is on show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery
Michèle Lamy and Loree Rodkin’s zodiac jewellery, ‘HunRod Gold’, is at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, London, alongside furniture by Rick Owens
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Bulgari welcomes BAFTA 2024 with a London show of its era-spanning film-star jewellery
For BAFTA 2024, Bulgari spotlights its rich cinematic connections in a jewellery exhibition at its Bond Street store
By Caragh McKay Published
-
Maria-Sole Ferragamo reveals new jewellery at PAD London
Maria-Sole Ferragamo and Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery have created jewellery collection ‘Trame’, featuring upcycled brass
By Mazzi Odu Published