Metalcyberspace blog - Contemporary Jewelry Design

October 26, 2007

PARALLAX - Massart Metals Symposium Event

Filed under: exhibitions, events, jewelry artists — ses @ 11:39 am

PARALLAX - Massart Metals Symposium Event

PARALLAX: the apparent displacement or the difference in apparent direction of an object as seen from two different points…

Saturday October 27th 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Pozen Center, North Hall
621 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115

This event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the MassArt parking lot
R.S.V.P. required

Speakers include: Iris Eichenberg, Lauren Fensterstock, Katja Prins, Andrea Wagner, Deb Todd Wheeler and Joe Wood.

This one-day conference event takes advantage of an opportunity to compare two separate bodies of work. At Massachusetts College of Art and Design, there will be two separate exhibitions installed in the Bakalar Gallery; Golden Clogs, Dutch Mountains and IN SITU.

Both of these exhibitions stem from investigations in jewelry and personal object making. Since jewelry and objects for personal use have an essential built-in context, the divergent approaches the artists take in these two very different exhibitions is intriguing. It sheds light on the differences in the approach to context in personal adornment and object making as art. As explorations and investigations that use jewelry and personal objects as a point of departure, there is always an implied function or context. How these two groups employ context illustrates a fundamental difference in cultured perspective.

The exhibition Golden Clogs, Dutch Mountains, organized by Andrea Wagner, features the work of relatively young artists working in the Netherlands. With a recognized legacy of bold defiance to convention, Dutch works often pose questions for the viewer and wearer to reconcile historic references with new materials and associations.

The artists in the exhibition IN SITU organized by Joe Wood are a group of young artists working primarily in the US. These artists work from a similar point of departure. They too employ elements from conventional approaches to jewelry and personal object making but that is where the two groups diverge. Where one group (Dutch) embraces the open, enigmatic and fragmentary the other creates a full-blown narrative fiction around the objects. For the Americans, the object remains central to the experience but only as it becomes wrapped in a specific personal projection of the artist’s intent. Interaction, experience and documentation become intregal to the work.

In both cases, context of the object is a focus. With the respective differences of vantage that these two groups of artists have we may see this essential element in more depth and clarity.

October 13, 2007

Back from Providence

Filed under: Metalcyberspace, MJSA, events, SNAG, jewelry artists — ses @ 3:22 pm

Attended the MJSA Trade Show for Jewelry Making in Providence, RI on Oct. 11,2007.

Volunteered to help SNAG with their booth (deja vu for me) :) and handed out free copies of Metalsmith to attendees and vendors.  They only had the recent Exhibition in Print issue available so I had to explain that it was the special issue. I wish I had a copy of the regular version of the magazine to show people too.

It was not very busy that day which made me sad because I could see such a huge potential for this show. Most of the people that were there had also attended the previous day so I was left with more than a few magazines  & brochures which I happily handed off to Metalwerx and other school people at the end of the day. I’m sure they will find good homes with their students.
It was nice catching up with people and meeting new ones. Ended the day having a nice dinner with Reactive Metals Studio. Thanks Bill!

I was thinking of ways to increase attendance. Here are my thoughts:

1. Plan the show to coincide with other events. Coordinate exhibitions with the local galleries and museums featuring JEWELRY. The Providence Jewelry Museum and the RISD Museum come to mind. Set up a gallery night with the trolley.

2. Network with schools. RISD is practically across the street from the conference center. It would be the perfect place to hold a symposium about contemporary jewelry. Panel discussions and workshops that could possibly be funded by grants from RISCA or the NEA. Sponsor international artists to participate.

3. Include a weekend for the show instead of having it only during the week while most people are at work or school. Weds/Thursday was tough for many people.

4. Work with the Chamber of Commerce in Providence and RIEDC. Emphasize the convenience of trains to reach the city. Possible special Waterfire event?

5. Display the MJSA Vision Award pieces at the show. (I didn’t see them if they were.)

I’m sure I have more ideas floating around but those are enough to start.
It’s time for me to get back to my bench and start working now that I have new gemstones and inspirations.

S.E. Sarantos

October 9, 2007

Back from New York City

Filed under: Metalcyberspace, events — ses @ 3:20 pm

Just returned from a fantastic 2 day conference in New York City planned by Adornment’s Elyse Karlin (A Place in Time: Jewelry within the Context of the Decorative Arts). If you can make it to any of these in the future it is well worth the effort. Luckily, I am close enough to be able to take the train to NY. Subscribe to Adornment either way!

The first night had dinner with the conference host & most of the speakers and the second night with long time friends Ornament Magazine’s Robert K. Liu & Carolyn Benesh and jewelry artist Jan Yager.  

Jeannine Falino did double duty filling in for one speaker who could not make it as well as her own scheduled talk about the work of Daniel Brush. Seeing close details of his work blown up on a huge slide screen was amazing.

Elyse gave a great talk about Medusa who I have always had a fondness for. Must be the hair thing. I have to dig up and scan an old Halloween image of me dressed up as her to send along.

Ruthie Katzenstein spoke about her great-grandfather Meyer D. Rothschild (fine jeweler, gemologist/author, attorney, entrepreneur, fisherman, humanitarian). Remember his name. You will be hearing more about this fascinating man. I would love to see a book written about him after listening to her stories and looking at the all the photos.

See you there next year!

inside out: JMGA 2008 Conference

Filed under: events, organizations — ses @ 2:01 pm

inside out: JMGA 2008 Conference:
13th Biennial Conference of the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia, Adelaide

Jan. 25-27, 2008

inside out explores jewellery and object making inside the Australia, Asia and Pacific regions and outside the conventions of mainstream practice.

The conference will bring together practitioners, educators, collectors, critics and cultural theorists for three days of discussion, debate, interaction and the exchange of ideas.

October 4, 2007

aura

Filed under: exhibitions, events, jewelry artists — ses @ 5:40 pm

aura
Oct. 19-21, 2007
Burton Agnes Hall East Yorkshire UK
Four Yorkshire Jewellers at Burton Agnes
A selling exhibition in the company of the artists
With international guest jewellers chosen by Giò Carbone, Director of Le Arti Orafe, Florence and Lucca, Italy
bracelet by Jacqueline Stieger Jacqueline Stieger 
necklace by Pamela Dickinson Pamela Dickinson 
bowl by Jacqueline Warrington Jacqueline Warrington  
necklace & earrings by Emma Sedman Emma Sedman  
ring by Yuki Kamiya Yuki Kamiya  
earrings by Silvia Nesti Silvia Nesti 
rings by Cucù Ruiz Cucù Ruiz   
rings by Sakiko Kawaguchi Sakiko Kawaguchi 
rings by Shinobu Nozue Shinobu Nozue  
rings by Pauline Held Pauline Held  
ring by Arata Fuchi Arata Fuchi  
earrings by Kiyoko Hosoda Kiyoko Hosoda

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