Articles

Mexico

09/08/2025

¡Viva la Joyería Artística en México!

Art Jewelry from the Land of the Sun

By Art Jewelry Forum

AJF’s travelers are currently touring Mexico City. They will visit the top destinations, naturally: the Frida Kahlo Museum-Casa Azul, Casa Gilardi, and the Anahuacalli Museum. They’ll also see Ballet Folklorico perform. But what about jewelry?! There will be studio visits, of course!

And tomorrow, the group will enjoy a pop-up jewelry exhibition and sale curated exclusively for AJF. It will showcase contemporary jewelry artists from different parts of Mexico. Each artist was chosen for their trajectory within the field of contemporary jewelry. The exhibition offers a unique glimpse into the diverse and innovative jewelry practices taking place in Mexico today. Here’s a taste of work by 20 artists who will participate.

Click on the photos to learn about what they show.

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“I like to collect objects that catch my eye and surprise me,” says Mayte Amezcua. “In my creative process, I discover that those stored materials have a reason to be, and that is to give them a new significance that reflects either my Mexican roots or themes related to my designer’s essence, such as typography, color, or painting.” ||| Mayte Amezcua, Recovering Hernia, 2025, fabricated brooch in treated wood, acrylic paint, stainless steel, 10.5 x 7.5 x 4 cm, photo: artist

Wood is the material Amezcua employs most because she wishes to use a material that resembles her human and living essence. “In this body of work,” she explains, “I made an abstraction of the inner part of our bodies to emulate part of a medical intervention and to encourage a reflection of the vulnerability of our bodies, showing what we can’t see but is there, as in an X-ray.” ||| Mayte Amezcua, L4-L5, 2025, fabricated necklace in treated wood, acrylic paint, encaustic, oil, 7 x 48 x 2.8 cm, photo: artist

“Wood resembles our organic and changing nature,” states Amezcua, “so I generated bony layers and wavy holes, drilling and sanding to transform the material, travel to the invisible, and be aware of our transient body through jewelry.” ||| Mayte Amezcua, Backbone I, 2025, fabricated necklace in treated wood, acrylic paint, thread, 16.5 x 30 x 3 cm, photo: artist

Mayte Amezcua, Backbone II, 2025, fabricated necklace in treated wood, acrylic paint, 33.5 x 17 x 3 cm, photo: artist

Originally from Colombia and currently based in Mexico City, where she runs her studio, Luisa Restrepo Moreno specializes in warm glass techniques. ||| Luisa Restrepo Moreno, Shift N-004, 2022, in fused glass, gold-plated polished brass, 210 x 140 x 8 mm, photo courtesy of the artist

The artist creates pieces that range from contemporary jewelry to collectible design and performative actions. Her artistic practice is characterized by a fervent exploration of form, rhythm, and pattern. ||| Luisa Restrepo Moreno, Shift N-025, 2023, in silver-plated blown borosilicate glass, gold-plated sandblasted brass, 9 x 30 x 3 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

She maintains an unwavering commitment to quality and meticulous attention to detail. The result is finely crafted pieces that are as aesthetically captivating as they are conceptually rich. luisarestrepo.com ||| Luisa Restrepo Moreno, Shift N-026, 2023, in green blown glass, gold-plated polished brass, 200 x 140 x 11 mm, photo courtesy of the artist

Luisa Restrepo Moreno, Not Arbitrary, Neckpiece Acordeon O Gold, 2023, in gold-mirrored blown borosilicate glass, brushed brass, 190 x 160 x 40 mm, photo courtesy of the artist

This collection, states Codigo23, is born from the experience of being a woman in northern Mexico, where machismo and sexism remain an oppressive force. ||| Codigo 23, Avenger's Trilogy, 2024, hand piece in lost wax, embroidery, white alloy, recycled cow leather and silver, 5.5 x 7.9 x 2.7 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“As a woman from Sonora,” says Codigo 23, “I have witnessed firsthand the effects of a culture that imposes limits and roles on women, minimizing their ability to defend themselves and be recognized as figures of power and respect. Inspired by this context, I chose the spur—an object of control and a symbol of male authority in the North—and transformed it into pieces of defense and protection, specifically designed for women.” ||| Codigo 23, Twin Impact, 2024, ring in lost wax, white alloy, 3.3 x 3.8 x 0.4 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

The collection seeks to reframe that pre-established power, turning it into a tool of self-defense and female empowerment. “Each piece is a declaration of strength and autonomy, a response to violence and imposed roles. It is an invitation for every woman from the North, and beyond, to reclaim these symbols, not as a reminder of oppression but as an affirmation of their right to safety and freedom,” declares the artist. ||| Codigo 23, Rebellious Step, 2024, shoe piece in lost wax, white alloy, 5.8 x 10.6 x 3.2 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“This collection offers a sense of peace by providing women with tangible tools of protection and empowerment,” says Codigo23. “Each piece is designed not only to defend but also to instill confidence and security in its wearer. By reclaiming symbols historically tied to control and oppression, the collection transforms fear into strength and vulnerability into resilience. It is a reminder that peace can be found in the power to stand firm and assert one’s right to safety and autonomy.” ||| Codigo 23, Warrior's Knee Guard, 2024, knee piece in lost wax, embroidery, white alloy, recycled cow leather, 8 x 14.6 x 0.9 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“In my work,” says Cristina Celis, “the power of the handmade and its unlimited possibility for experimentation becomes something relevant and extremely important. Clay is the perfect material for this.” ||| Cristina Celis, Spikes and Studs, 2022, in porcelain, tinted stoneware, sterling and gold foil, 12 x 5 x 5 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“My thought, through touch, is immortalized by fire,” states the artist. ||| Cristina Celis, Spikes, 2023, in tinted stoneware, sterling silver, 32 x 5 x 5 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“I believe the act of creation touches the core of our being and speaks to us directly and personally,” says Celis. “The process from fragments and memories in our mind, to our fingers, and straight to the person who for the first time sees it complete, listens to it, touches it, and finally holds the link of our collective soul by wearing it.” ||| Cristina Celis, Pearl Necklace, 2014, in glazed stoneware, 23 x 8 x 15 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

Cristina Celis, Madness, 2022, in tinted stoneware, nichrome wire, pearls, cotton string, 4.5 x 4.5 x 1.3 cm, photo courtesy of the artist

“My work explores the forgotten spaces of the city, where an accumulation of materials and objects have taken the corners between concrete and earth,” says Sandra Bostock. ||| Sandra Bostock, Urban Walks Red, 2021, necklace in wood, copper, sterling silver, powder-coated paint, 10 x 5 x 7 cm, photo: Felipe Flores

Manipulating these materials evokes the decay of metal and nature and forges a visual narrative about urban life. Color and texture both play a crucial role, enabling the pieces to reflect their environment and convey multiple stories with a similar effect to that of their original inspiration. ||| Sandra Bostock, Urban Walks Green, 2021, brooch in wood, copper, sterling silver, steel, powder-coated paint, patina, 12 x 4 x 4 cm, photo: Felipe Flores

Sandra Bostock, Urban Walks White, 2022, necklace in copper, silver, powder-coated paint, 12 x 8 x 3 cm, photo: Mariana Achach

Sandra Bostock, Urban Walks Blue, 2022, necklace in copper, silver, leather, powder-coated paint, patina, 25 x 20 x 6 cm, photo: Mariana Achach

$”As fractals of the universe, we are also co-creators,” declares Lorena Lazard. “Every part of our body reflects a dimension of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life—a symbolic map that guides us through self-discovery and growth.” ||| Lorena Lazard, Nekudot 3 (Tiferet), 2025, fabricated brooch in tumbaga (a pre-Columbian alloy of gold and copper sometimes also containing silver), copper, mother-of-pearl, 9.2 x 4 x 2 cm, photo: Victor Trani$