Articles

Germany

08/26/2022

How Is the Next Generation Collecting?

Five Young Collectors Share Their Approaches

By Art Jewelry Forum

During Schmuck, we presented AJF in Conversation: Collecting—The Next Generation. Gallerist and curator Christian Hoedl moderated the discussion. The panelists were:

Artist and educator Mallory Weston, who teaches jewelry at Tyler School of Art and Architecture
Joya organizer Paulo Ribeiro
Collectors and life partners Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens. Harnie studied jewelry making at university. He works as a book seller, and Pellens is in lighting retail

We recorded the event, which took place on July 9, 2022, in Galerie Handwerk’s auditorium. This photo essay pulls out the key talking points from the panel, accompanied by photos of pieces in the speakers’ collections, which you can’t clearly see in the video. You can watch the video here … so you have two ways of getting similar information. Click on the photos to learn about what they show.

Thank you so much to all who participated!

Moderator Christian Hoedl asked the four young collectors to talk about the beginning of their collections and the choice of their first piece. Dennis Pellens spoke first. “The very first piece I bought was at Galerie Marzee. I went there with Juan, because he was in the graduate show. He already was a huge fan of the work of Märta Mattsson and we did not own a piece of hers.” Pellens got animated as he described the newish Marzee outpost, Intro. “Pieces were under 100 to 150 euros. You could buy to start collecting. And there was this one brooch still left, only one!" So he spoke to staff when Harnie wasn't watching and they secretly set aside the brooch so Harnie wouldn't see Pellens making the purchase. | Märta Mattsson, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens

“He was so excited!” Pellens said, and started imitating Harnie. “[Gasp!] You bought me a Märta Mattson! Really! Oh my god!” Pellens thinks the brooch cost only 100 euros. “It was kind of a selfish present for him”—he pointed to Harnie—“because I now wear it, too, of course!” The panelists and the audience laughed. “Since then we’ve bought a few of her pieces. We’re huge fans.” | Märta Mattsson, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens. The brooch on the right is a recent purchase

Paulo Ribeiro went next. “I started Joya in 2009, and it took me three years to buy my first piece.” Ribeiro originally saw himself more as an organizer than as someone who would own art jewelry. That changed when he went to a Klimt02 exhibition in Barcelona. “I bought a piece by Mark Monzo. It was a very small brooch. White. Simple. Because at that time [...] I was kind of scared of wearing jewelry." It's not something men are accustomed to doing. | (Left) JOYA 2018 Party: Artemis Valsamaki, Untitled, brooch, copper, silver, acrylic pigment, (right) JOYA Press Presentation 2012: Marc Monzó, Untitled, brooch silver, paint, (both photos) collection of Paulo Ribeiro, photos courtesy of Paulo Ribeiro

“It took me a while to get this stuff,” said Ribeiro. “I did. And now I’m totally the opposite. I like big brooches, and statement pieces. It was a whole process for me.” | (Left) AJF - SCHMUCK Conference 2022: Rita Martinez, Untitled, brooches, old frame wood piece and gold leaf, (right) AJF - SCHMUCK Conference 2022: Lily Kanellopoulou, Untitled, brooch, resin, pigments, silver, wood, (both photos) collection of Paulo Ribeiro, photos courtesy of Paulo Ribeiro

Mallory Weston thinks she bought her first piece in 2009. She and friends who studied jewelry-making traveled to Munich to attend Schmuck for the first time and heard about an opening at Galerie Spektrum. There, Weston saw a selection of work at a lower price point. “There was a series of pieces by Herman Hermsen. They were a little bit cheaper, about 40 euros, these brooches that were vacu-formed and had gemstone shapes in them. My friends and I saw these and we were so excited, it was one thing we could afford from [everything] on view, besides books!” | Weston's first purchase: a brooch by Herman Hermsen, photo courtesy of Mallory Weston

Hoedl summarized: Initially choices were made based on cost and, in the case of Ribeiro, understatement. That brought him to his next question: What criteria do these young collectors have when adding to their collections now? Do they have a specific strategy for enlarging the collection? “I don’t have any strategy when it comes to my collection!” said Weston, laughing. Before the event, the panelists had been asked if they viewed themselves as collectors of contemporary jewelry. “I see myself as a maker first and foremost,” said Weston, “and also as an educator and a professor. Collector comes after those identities.” However, Weston has been trying to think about her collection more intentionally as she has added bigger pieces and can now afford larger purchases. She chooses work that she's really excited about and that she really loves. | Collaboration between Georgina Trevino and Ashley Khirea Wahba, collection of Mallory Weston, photo courtesy of Georgina Treviño’s Instagram feed

Having decided that the word “strategy” didn’t work, Hoedl rephrased his question. What drives you, he asked—what qualities create a strong connection with a jewel? “I think there’s usually something a little bit over the top, or wild, about the pieces I collect,” said Weston. “They’re very colorful, or shiny, or the imagery in them is special.” “It’s not about collecting a big name or a new name or a specific color?” asked Hoedl. “Not necessarily. I have confidence in the makers whose work I’m collecting. If they’re still students, I believe there’s merit to owning the work. I see value in it.” | Work by Julia Walter, collection of Mallory Weston, , photo courtesy of Mallory Weston’s Instagram feed

Ribeiro takes a different approach. “When I buy something, I have two lines, very clear. One is the award winners of Joya or any other event that I’m associated with. It's part of the memory of being in this time with this artist with this collection and buying something because [the maker] was an awarded artist.” The other approach is more instinctive. “It's more related with my emotion. If this piece drives me to buy it and to have it and I can afford it.” But the purchasing styles are related, he notes. Even with an award-winning artist, he only buys something that he feels is right for him. | (Left) Book Broches from Nicolas Estrada, 2017: Yiota Vogli, Untitled, brooch, paper pulp, acrylics, hand-plated silver on nickel silver and brass, (right) KLIMT02 Interview 2020: Jamie Chung, Untitled, brooch, brass, pigments, (both photos) collection of Paulo Ribeiro, photos courtesy of Paulo Ribeiro

So, summarized Hoedl, the panelists have a connection with or fall in love with the work. They don’t dislike it or feel disturbed by it. But he went on to describe a collector who has a different approach to collecting. “He’s always driven by things which totally bring him out of his [comfort zone] and make him really nervous and bring up lots of questions. It’s a highly interesting energy, to transform himself.” As a maker and as a curator and gallerist, Hoedl considers this a strong attitude. He deems it important that the work help its owners grow and educate themselves. | Christian Hoedl, Bindeteil, chest jewelry, brass, gold, satin band, modeled by Tilmann Piffl, collection of Christian Hoedl, photo courtesy of Christian Hoedl

Harnie and Pellens sometimes purchase work that they’re not really into, but Harnie agreed that when they buy it’s mostly a case of “we just fall in love with the piece, and if I can still eat next month, it’s fine, we’ll take it.” That led Hoedl to ask, “Do you have a budget per year or per month?” Harnie said that this week—Schmuck—was a particularly bad example of managing money. He had a budget but spent almost double that amount. “Triple! Triple!” interjected Pellens, to much laughter from the audience. | Juan Harnie wearing many, many brooches, from a post on his Instagram feed, @thejewelleryupdate

Hoedl thought collectors could be viewed as shareholders in the work. Sometimes an artist’s work may go up in value, while the value of other artists’ pieces seems to fall. Part of the gallerist’s work, he said, is to take care of the artist's value. | Christian Hoedl, Resistance of the Line,
2007, neckpiece, cotton, ribbon, photo:
artist, collection of the artist

Pellens responded with passion. “We buy a lot of student work, a lot,” he said, “and for us that does create value, for us and for the maker. You cannot put a value on the look in the eye of a 19-year-old who just sold his first brooch or his first ring, and [who] gets to see two guys get really excited about what he made in that little room in school that nobody ever [sees]. So that intrinsic value to us sometimes is waaaaay more important than [if] they get picked up by galleries, [if] they win awards. If they do, awesome, because then we’ll have a very budget-friendly piece that might end up being really valuable in euros or in currency. But I really don’t care if they get more valuable, because they’re valuable to us, and we would never, ever get rid of them.” Even if the artist later stops making jewelry, it doesn’t diminish the value of the piece for the couple. | A drawer holds brooches from the collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens

Pellens said that one of the criteria for the couple is, can they wear the work? Are the pin backs sharp enough that they won’t leave big holes in his shirts? Even if it’s not for every day, can a piece be brought in its box to an event and worn for a few hours? “You do stretch your limits of wearability. You’re like, I can wear this for two hours maybe.” When he was new to wearing brooches, he went with little pins, "the size of a pea. Now it’s, oh, yeah, this can go here." He gestured broadly across his torso. "I have a huge canvas. Fill it up!” | Mareen Alburg Duncker, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens. This was the most recent addition to their collection ... prior to their purchases during Munich's jewelry week.

Size matters, especially when it comes to wearability. Hoedl pointed out that you can’t pin on a big brooch and then put a coat on over it, for example. So you may have to bring the brooch to an event in a box, and pop it on after removing your outerwear. But speaking of boxes ... Weston owns an indestructible ring by Goran Kling that she loves and carries around loose in her bag so she can wear it at a moment’s notice. “Hopefully people aren’t horrified to hear [that I do this]. It gets a beautiful patina” from knocking around with everything else at the bottom of the bag. | Work by Goran Kling, collection of Mallory Weston, photo courtesy of Goran Kling’s Instagram feed

Weston can’t wear her jewelry when she’s teaching or working in her studio because it would get in the way or be damaged. She does make an effort to wear it to events and functions. She was wearing a large ring by her colleague at the university during the panel. | Ring by Doug Bucci, photo courtesy of Mallory Weston

Weston also keeps jewelry by various artists on her office desk so her students can see how artists apply various techniques. | Work by Adam Grinovich, collection of Mallory Weston, photo courtesy of Mallory Weston's Instagram feed

Ribeiro doesn’t wear his brooches every day. For one thing, many are fragile. He selects his brooches and his outfits for the occasion. “I try to be very aware of what I'm wearing, where I'm wearing it, for whom I'm wearing. [...] for the viewer, I'm representing something.” | (Left) Gioielli in Fermento 2015: Isabelle Busnel, Untitled, brooch, white silicone, magnetic fastening, (right) Fondazione Cominelli Award 2015: Caterina Zanca, Untitled, brooch, silver, oxidation, brass, gold leaf, (both photos) collection of Paulo Ribeiro, photos courtesy of Paulo Ribeiro

Hoedl wondered where the collectors purchase their jewelry—from galleries? Artists directly? Online? “Usually I'll discover new pieces that I fall in love with through friends and fellow jewelers that I follow on Instagram,” says Weston. “I usually won't be able to purchase a piece right away, but that will put the series on my radar for the future. It's also a great way to discover emerging artists in the field who might not have work represented by a gallery yet.” | Bug brooches by Stefan Gougherty, photo courtesy of Stefan Gougherty’s Instagram feed

Harnie and Pellens buy from both galleries and artists. Pellens described buying work from students who don’t know how to price their work—it's not taught in school. While buying a brooch from one student, he told her, “You should ask me for more money. Please do ask me for more money! Because if you ask for 40 euros I’ll pay you 40, but you should ask me for 100.” | Madeli Viljoen, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens

Pellens and Harnie buy online, too, especially during the pandemic, but they prefer to “see and feel and touch and smell the piece almost.” Hoedl theorized that if they’re buying online, they must have a connection to the work already—they must be familiar with it or with the artist already. “Sometimes,” replied Pellens. “But we’re risk-takers.” In some cases, when the work arrives, a lack of technical skills results in a bad surprise, but other times the internet purchase is a real pleasure. | Jun Konishi, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens

Hoedl asked if they send pieces back for any reason. “Oh, no, that would be horrible,” exclaimed Pellens. The artist would be crushed. “I don’t think we have a piece we don’t like.” Harnie nodded his head in agreement. Pellens admitted to having some brooches that are difficult to put on because of the way the artist fabricated the closure. “Some pieces I have to put on when the shirt is still on the hanger, and then put on the shirt, brooch and all”—he mimicked doing contortions. “You learn to live with a lot of constraints when you really want to wear a piece. Like wearing your seatbelt under your armpits" because in the car the brooch gets in the way! | Elisa Cazzaniga, Untitled, brooch, collection of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens, photo courtesy of Juan Harnie and Dennis Pellens

But in the case of Ribeiro, when the backs don’t work he sends back brooches, asking the artist to rework the fastening. “I cannot wear it!” he tells them. “It’s extremely important for me to wear the pieces.” Ribeiro wants to be sure of the size of things he buys so he only purchases things he has personally seen. “For me, the scale is really important. Sometimes you see a picture and then you see the piece for real and the scale is completely different. I don’t buy online. It’s too risky for me.” An argument for photographing jewelry on the body. | (Left) Casa Décor: Caterina Zanca, Untitled, 2016, brooch, silver, oxidation, brass, gold leaf, (right) Casa Décor: Christine Jalio, Untitled, 2016, brooch, silk, clay, silver, (both photos) collection of Paulo Ribeiro, photos courtesy of Paulo Ribeiro

In closing, Hoedl talked about jewelry as an intimate but nonverbal form of communication. When you wear it and go out into the greater world, “Whether you like it or not, people immediately look at you. They look at you and they read what you are talking about without saying anything. And it’s super, super interesting what happens then sometimes. I’ve found very interesting conversations through this." | Christian Hoedl, Bindeteil, necklace, brass, gold, satin band, modeled by Tilmann Piffl, collection of Christian Hoedl, photo courtesy of Christian Hoedl

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