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International

09/22/2025

Have You Heard

Today in Art Jewelry

By Art Jewelry Forum

September 2025, Part 2

Art Jewelry Forum is pleased to share the news that members of our community find noteworthy. Is something missing? The success of this compilation of compelling events, news, and items of interest to the jewelry community depends on YOUR participation. If you’re a member of AJF at the Silver level or above, you can add news and ideas to this bi-monthly report by going here. If you aren’t a member, but would like to become one, join AJF here.

THE 2026 AJF YOUNG ARTIST AWARD, SUPPORTED BY KAREN AND MICHAEL ROTENBERG
Now accepting applications, this competition recognizes innovative work created by an early-career jewelry artist (age 35 and under). For the fourth cycle in a row, it’s generously supported by the collectors Karen and Michael Rotenberg, whose collection focuses on the innovative use of alternative materials by emerging and mid-career artists. Prizes: US$7,500 for the winner; US$1,000 awards for each of the four finalists; a travel allowance of US$1,000 each for the winner and the finalists who travel to Munich to receive their award; exhibit at Platina during Schmuck 2026 for the winner and four finalists. Be bold, be seen! Apply by November 9, 2025. Info.

FEEL LIKE SEEING A JEWELRY SHOW?
Find listings from around the world on our dedicated exhibition page.

EVENTS
We have a dedicated page for them. Go here to see the list.

FROM OUR MEMBERS

IN THE GALLERY AT BROOKLYN METAL WORKS HOLDS JOLYNN SANTIAGO SHOW
The new solo exhibition, Surroundings, includes new jewelry works by the artist drawn from her investigations of settling dust and the accumulations which mark the gentle passage of time. By fusing silver and gold fragments within ring-shaped molds carved from graphite, Santiago creates a cycle of renewal formed by debris. With these works, Santiago asks us to become attuned to our surroundings, to register the layers beneath us, and take a breath. Through November 9, 2025. Artist talk (open to the public) on November 8. More.

BJC FOCUS SYMPOSIUM: OCTOBER 4–5, 2025
This free annual event features workshops, demonstrations, and presentations all centered around a particular theme. The featured speakers are artists and intellectuals who are well-studied and acquainted with the chosen topic for the year. The 2025 symposium, BJC Focus: Making Spaces, will investigate the role of third spaces as sites for connection, artistic expression, and creative growth. The term “third space” refers to places outside of homes (first spaces) and workplaces (second spaces) where people are brought together around shared interests and ideas. Free and open to the public. Info.

PRECIOUS GROTESQUERIES: THE JEWELS OF WILLIAM HARPER
An exhibition of 20 pieces that are far more than jewelry. Harper says: “I have always believed that jewelry can be about something, have content, be more substantive than mere ornament. In other words, exist as Art.” At Les Enluminures New York, October 23–December 12, 2025. More.

ARCHITECTURE OF GRACE.\ THE JEWELRY OF JACQUELINE LILLIE
Lillie builds with beads the way a master architect works with light and load. Beads have one of the longest histories in human adornment. Perforated shells and stones, traded and worn tens of thousands of years ago, were among the earliest portable signs of identity and memory. Over millennia, beadwork became a cosmopolitan language. In this long arc, Lillie’s achievement is not to repeat historical effects but to distill their lessons, structure, cadence, and the intimate tactility of countless small units into a contemporary, architectural language. At Sienna Patti through October 19, 2025. More.

SEE LISA & SCOTT CYLINDER’S FIRST EXHIBITION IN FOUR YEARS
Titled Calliope, it’s on view at Gravers Lane Gallery, in Philadelphia through October 18, 2025. Calliope symbolizes their convergence of concepts and imagery taken from Greek mythology, the circus, and carousels. Emphasizing fantastical creatures composed of brass wind instrument parts combined with their fabrications, the works are irreverent, metaphorical, and playful, evoking notions of youthful wonder and discovery. More.

ALEXANDER BLANK: LOW HUM LONG DRUM, AT GALERIE NOEL GUYOMARC’H
For the German artist, jewelry is a wearable, and therefore useful, object through which to critique, comment, and narrate what he imagines. This show brings together different collections, some inspired by pop culture, others more abstract. The focus, however, is on Bones & All, a brand-new body of work. This series of brooches in pale blue Corian depicts fingers marked by time, frozen in puzzling, almost unsettling positions. The action of the hands is subject to the brain’s commands. With their hands, humans have invented, built, and shaped their environment. But what if our fingers rebelled? Freed from control, a new story would begin. Through October 11. 2025. More.

THE SHOULDER TAKES CENTER STAGE WITH JEWELRY
The look is “fun and chic and different,” stylist Emily Evans told the NYT. The trend started as far back as the ancient Egyptians, and this spot on the body is gaining attention again. The newspaper featured this stunner by AJF member Melanie Georgacopoulos, among other examples. More.

THE OPEN EYE | LA MIRADA ABIERTA
Discover the essence of the Mediterranean through four artistic voices: Ramón Puig Cuyàs, Lluís Comín, Judy McCaig, and Silvia Walz. At Thereza Pedrosa Gallery, September 27–October 26, 2025. Opening: September 27, 5–8 p.m. More.

GALERIE DOOR TO SHOW AT ART THE HAGUE, OCTOBER 1–5, 2025
See the latest, most beautiful, and most intriguing work by Door’s artists. Get free admission by using the discount code “doorathpp” on the ticket page (enter the code at + Kortingscode). Galerie Door will be at booth number 7.

CHARON KRANSEN TO TEACH AT ROJW
Attend an intensive two-day workshop called “Re-writing your own script, focusing on your own evolution,” on September 29–30, 2025. Info.

MARGIT HART SHOWED AT SCHMUCKMUENCHEN 2025
The show was on view in Gdansk September 4–6, 2025, during Amberif. Included were her two works Decision. They make attitude visible: personal, political, poetic. In a world coming apart at the seams, every reaction becomes a statement. Her pieces ask how we deal with what challenges us—on a small scale and a large one.

BELLA NEYMAN NAMED AMBASSADOR FOR GOLDSMITH’S FAIR 2025
This year, on opening day (September 24, 2025), Neyman will join trend forecaster and jewelry expert Kathryn Bishop for a conversation on the future of jewelry—spanning materials, culture, technology, and market trends in the UK and US. Fair info here. Get tickets for the opening day talk here. After the talk, Neyman will give a tour of the fair; register here to join it.

LOVE & OTHER CONNECTIONS, AT BJC
The exhibition features work by Kathleen Kennedy that traces the invisible threads between people through the language of jewelry. Throughout history, jewelry has served as a deeply personal artifact—marking love, memory, and human connection. Worn on the body, it exists in both public and private realms, simultaneously revealing and concealing meaning. This exhibition reimagines jewelry as sculpture, transforming iconic components—such as heart charms, lockets, and clasps—into larger objects of weighted significance. These exaggerated forms become stand-ins for relationships, emotions, and, ultimately, people. Through this lens, jewelry’s role as a souvenir of connection is amplified and examined. October 3–November 14, 2025. Opening reception October 3, 5–8 p.m. More.

PAUL ADIE AT JEWELERS’WERK
The Scottish jeweler on his working method: “Spontaneity guides my hand … I play along, creating works with a gestural, intuitive, and childlike aesthetic. I … include humor … to build community and poke fun subversively at established power structures. Jewelry is usually small, often overlooked, and only really gets noticed for the cost of the raw materials. I aim to show that [it] can act as a tool to raise awareness—especially when worn on the body and taken into society.” Now closes October 11, 2025. Info.

THE WEARABLE ART MUSEUM CELEBRATES ART THAT MOVES WITH US
WAM! is dedicated to exhibiting, exploring, and celebrating the worlds of wearable art, studio jewelry, textiles, costume, fiber, and related mixed media. Check out its website.

OTHER NEWS

VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM—TIDES & WAVES: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF NORTH AMERICA
SNAG presents a virtual symposium series exploring the deep and continual flow of international ideas in contemporary jewelry and metalsmithing. Each iteration focuses on a different geographical region. This year celebrates the diversity of Indigenous peoples in North America. September 26–27, 2025. Information and registration here.

ON VIEW: MARZEE INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE SHOW
See the show, with the works of the 75+ accepted grads, through November, 19 2025. The winners of the Marzee Graduate Prize are Chun Chang, Won-Young Choi, Jeong-Min Han, Susie Heuberger, Chidimma Omeke, Marleen Wysocki, and Jinjin Zhang—congratulations! More.

SURREALIST JEWELS 101, AT LOUISA GUINESS GALLERY
This exhibition brings together the well-known names of the past and places them alongside the exciting new names of the future. Pieces by Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst, created in the 1960s and 1970s, sit beside some jewelry made only this year, and some pieces which were first shown at the CSM Graduate Show. September 25–November 7, 2025. Info.

DONATION JOËL FAIVRE-CHALON (1953–2020)
An exhibition dedicated to a renowned French jeweler and key figure in contemporary jewelry. Faivre-Chalon’s pieces are the result of research carried out on both form and technique, as well as materials. He was as at home with brass and silver as he was with titanium, Formica, and carbon fiber. At the Contemporary Jewelry Museum, in Cagnes-sur-Mer, France, through May 17, 2026. More.

WEARING DIFFERENCE, EXTRAVAGANTLY
UK-based Sophie de Oliveira Barata’s imaginative prosthetics reframe the conversation around disability and difference. More from American Craft magazine.

SURABHI SAHGAL WRITES ABOUT THE GENESIS OF HER JEWELRY
Her rings reflect mythical symbology embedded in Indian narratives of heavenly pursuits. More.

STEPHANIE D’HEYGERE—A BIT OF A DADA JEWELRY DESIGNER
Her chokers look like bra straps and her earrings resemble doorknobs, hair clips, and wads of chewing gum. Check out an interview with the Belgian designer here.

SHINE 2025
The Goldsmiths Centre’s annual showcase of new jewelry and silversmithing talent has returned, through December 22, 2025, in London. More.

TRILOGIA: RESSONS DE BABEL, PARAULES GUARNIDES
Fumiko Gotô explores language not only as a means of communication but as sensory, symbolic, and visual experience. Do beautifully handwritten letters or ornate typography better convey the message? Do we perceive the spiritual power or meaning, although the text is hidden? Is sight stronger than hearing or touch? At Hannah Gallery, Barcelona, October 1–24, 2025. More.

UNUSUAL MATERIAL FOR JEWELRY-MAKING: WINE CRYSTALS
Winemakers tend to consider the crystalline deposits of potassium bitartrate that form during winemaking a waste material. But designer Tamar Abuladze, from the nation of Georgia, turns them into demi-fine jewelry. More here.

FINAL DOWNTON ABBEY MOVIE PULLS OUT ALL THE JEWELRY STOPS
It will feature the largest number of authentic gems in the franchise’s history, with 13 pieces worth more than $1.4 million. “Diamonds do funny things to people, and actors are no exception,” said the film’s costume designer, explaining why she chose to use the real thing on the principals. “I think it makes you feel really special and elevated.” More.

EVENTS

SILVER + FORM CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY AND SILVERWARE FAIR 2025
The fair brings together 25 established and emerging jewelry designers, silversmiths, and metalsmiths from across the UK. From bold sculptural jewelry and wearable art to fine gold pieces, elegant handcrafted tableware, and collectable sculptural objects, the fair showcases the full breadth of contemporary metalwork—where innovation meets tradition, and craftsmanship is celebrated at every level. Visitors will have the rare chance to meet every exhibiting maker, discover the inspirations and techniques behind their work, and acquire one-of-a-kind pieces directly from the artists. Curated by artist-makers Anja Hessler and Nessa Warner, Silver + Form provides a platform for outstanding makers working at the forefront of contemporary design. Bringing together both emerging voices and established names, the fair highlights originality, sustainability, and exceptional skill. At Turner Contemporary, Margate, October 18–19 ,2025, free. More.

NINTH ANNUAL CHICAGO RESPONSIBLE JEWELRY CONFERENCE
Brings together global leaders dedicated to advancing a just, sustainable, and transparent jewelry industry. The program will feature rigorously researched panels addressing topics such as “Human Rights and Environmental Realities of Silver Mining.” Breakout sessions will provide opportunities for speed mentoring with leading voices in ethical jewelry. October 17–18, 2025. More. The conference is offering a 10% discount off tickets for AJF members only; members, look for the code in your email in-box.

ROMANIAN JEWELRY WEEK: OCTOBER 1–5, 2025
Bills itself as the largest international event organized in Romania dedicated to contemporary jewelry, organized by Assamblage National Jewelry Association since 2020. The format of event includes each year a large area of exhibitions, fairs, conferences, workshops, seminars and guided tours, with one main location as well as connex locations. In Bucharest. More.

CONTEMPORANIA: OCTOBER 2–4, 2025
What started as a jewelry festival under a different name has expanded into an international biennial for high contemporary craftsmanship. In Barcelona, Spain. Website.

ANTWERP JEWELRY WEEK: OCTOBER 8–12, 2025
Promotes artistic and artisanal jewelry in and from Antwerp, Belgium. Over50 jewelers and artistsfrom around the world will present their work, with many emerging talents unveiling their creations for the very first time. Visitors will discover a wealth of innovation, craftsmanship, and artistic expression—all in one of Europe’s most vibrant jewelry capitals. One visitor will have the chance to win an exclusive titanium necklace designed byAntwerp artist Laurent Max De Cock. Website.

MILANO JEWELRY WEEK: OCTOBER 18–20, 2025
Milano Jewelry Week creates moments of exchange and interaction, captivating trade operators and attracting the public thanks to a calendar full of events: exhibitions, presentations, workshops, talks, awards, live performances, and vernissage. The event develops in Milano’s center within exclusive and evocative locations in the city: historic buildings, high jewelry ateliers, goldsmith workshops, academies, art galleries, fashion boutiques, and design showrooms. Info.

GRASSIMESSE: OCTOBER 24–26, 2025
This international meeting place for design enthusiasts and lovers of beautiful things is an art exhibition and sales fair in one. Exhibitors will offer unique pieces, small series, and exemplary product design from the fields of textiles, fashion, jewelry, ceramics, glass, furniture, and more. The jury selects exhibitors according to high qualitative standards. Info. At the GRASSI Museum für Angewandte Kunst, in Leipzig, Germany.

OPPORTUNITIES

OPEN CALL—SCHMUCK AND TALENTE – MASTERS OF THE FUTURE 2026
Schmuck is the oldest exhibition of contemporary jewelry in the world. Founded in 1959 by Dr. Herbert Hofmann, the prize has commemorated its founder since 1973. Talente – Masters of the Future has been an international competition for all areas of design craftsmanship since 1980. It’s possible to apply up to two years after completing training or studies. Deadline: October 1, 2025. Info.
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CALL FOR ENTRY: LOEWE FOUNDATION CRAFT PRIZE 2026
The prize showcases and celebrates newness, excellence, and artistic merit in modern craft. With a €50,000 award for the winning entry, the prize supports working artists whose talent, vision, and will to innovate promise to set a new standard for the future. Deadline: October 30, 2025. More.

OPEN CALL: ALLIAGES EXHIBITION 2026
The theme is Fragility. In its myriad forms, this is an intrinsic condition of existence. But fragility is more than that—it’s a profound human experience. This exhibition will delve into the intimate landscapes of personal vulnerability and the complex, often permeable boundaries of social existence. Deadline: November 2, 2025. More.

OPEN CALL: NOT ONLY DECORATION MAG
The theme: Community. Countless types exist. They can provide stability, transcend boundaries, or define territories. Some span generations, others are temporary. Visible insignia, buttons, flags, or tattoos often mark these bonds and make belonging tangible. Jewelry in particular functions as a marker of identity, as code, as nonverbal language. Translate your idea of community into jewelry. Deadline: October 31, 2025. More.

OPEN CALL: SELLING FACE
You can’t sell anything nowadays unless you sell yourself! Personal branding is important! Your audience needs to feel a connection to you! Make a face piece related to this topic. If selected, it will be shown at Munich’s jewelry week 2026. Deadline: October 12, 2025. Info.

CALL FOR ENTRY: WEARHOUSE
For the WearHouse’s first birthday and the biennial celebration of jewelry in Amsterdam as part of the Obsessed! jewelry festival, the WearHouse will present the FullHouse Project—a unique exhibition to transform the entire three-floor house into a dynamic art space. The WearHouse will showcase innovative pieces that describe living, human relationships within domestic spaces, and emotions embedded in wearable objects that reflect the concept of inhabitation. Info.

CALL: PAPERS, BOOK REVIEWS & EXHIBITION REVIEWS: THE JOURNAL OF JEWELLERY RESEARCH
Don’t miss your chance to contribute to international research in contemporary jewelry. Contribute to Issue 9 of JJR by submitting: Book review/exhibition review→deadline: October 20, 2025. Full paper/visual paper→deadline: December 15, 2025. Send submissions to: editorsjojr@gmail.com. Questions? Use the same email. Full guidelines and details here.

PAGES

JOURNEY OF A JEWELER
The Brazilian jeweler Silvia Furmanovich travels the globe, uncovering age-old crafts that become a foundation for her designs. The book charts her travels to collaborate with artisans in India, Japan, and elsewhere. They craft the work, which includes precious stones, wood marquetry, and other nontraditional materials. Info.

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