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12/01/2021

Jim Bové at NYCJW21

Two Packed Days at the Annual Jewelry Event

By Jim Bové

Jim Bové spent Tuesday and Wednesday, November 16 and 17, 2021, crisscrossing New York City to take in nine exhibitions and a symposium. He generously sent in a photo reportage to share with you. Here they are in no particular order, but clustered together by event.

Click on the photos to learn about what they show.

Bové went to see Polka Dot 2020: American Jewelry Design Council, shown at Aaron Faber Gallery. “Always a generous host, Aaron Faber Gallery took the time to showcase each piece and give us the background behind the artwork and the artist,” says Bové. Photo: Jim Bové

Paula Crevoshay, Cecilia, shown at Polka Dot 2020: American Jewelry Design Council, held at Aaron Faber Gallery during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Ring by Kent Raible, shown at Polka Dot 2020: American Jewelry Design Council, held at Aaron Faber Gallery during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

“Gorgeous work by Linda MacNeil, modeled by Stacy Rodgers, president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths,” says Bové of this piece he saw during his visit to Polka Dot 2020: American Jewelry Design Council, held at Aaron Faber Gallery during NYCJW21. “The artwork featured in the exhibition is not only of a high level of craft, but very wearable, as well as expressive.” Necklace by Linda MacNeil, photo: Jim Bové

AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid looked for a marriage of concept and craft. Ayala Naphtali and Debra Adelson curated an exhibition that featured works using traditional and uncommon materials in extraordinary ways. Artists expressed energy and power through dynamic composition. Some artists, like Juanjo García Martín, even employed actual electricity to illuminate the artwork. Work by Juanjo García Martín, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Putting the final touches on the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Exhibition view, AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by $ulo Bee, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Caitie Sellers, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Teresa Faris, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Jill Baker Gower, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Kate Cusack, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Criselda Lopez, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Emilie Pritchard, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Juanjo García Martín, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Biba Schutz, shown in the AdornAxis: Jewelry Off the Grid exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

A Curious Composite showed work by Ashley Nettye Pollack and Claire Webb. The two artists explore color and shape through new and traditional materials. Work by Ashley Nettye Pollack, shown in the A Curious Composite exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Claire Webb, shown in the A Curious Composite exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Claire Webb, shown in the A Curious Composite exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Claire Webb, shown in the A Curious Composite exhibition held during NYCJW2021, photo: Jim Bové

On November 18, 2021, in conjunction with NYCJW2021, the Museum of Arts and Design hosted the MAD Symposium: Art Jewelry Innovators. Toni Greenbaum and LaMar Gayles, Jr., started things off by giving a presentation called Symphonies in Black: Jewelry by Art Smith and Winifred Mason. Greenbaum is the author of Messengers of Modernism and Sam Kramer: Jeweler on the Edge, while Gayles curated Divine Legacies in Black Jewelry and wrote its accompanying catalog, photo: Jim Bové

During the MAD Symposium: Art Jewelry Innovators, Myra Mimlitsch-Gray and Kim Buck gave a talk about Buck’s monograph, The Real Thing. They also discussed their work in 45 Stories in Jewelry, the exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design. Photo: Jim Bové

Barbara Paris Gifford, associate curator at the Museum of Arts and Design, interviewed Caroline Broadhead about her eponymous monograph during the MAD Symposium: Art Jewelry Innovators, photo: Jim Bové

Two experts in the art jewelry field—Dirk Allgaier, the managing director of Arnoldsche Art Publishers, and the former gallerist, curatorial consultant, and writer Helen Drutt—gave the closing remarks at the MAD Symposium: Art Jewelry Innovators, photo: Jim Bové

Bové made sure to check out the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) show, Voltage. Exhibition view, SNAG’s Voltage exhibition, held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

SNAG President Stacy Rodgers at SNAG’s Voltage exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Caitlin Albritton, shown in SNAG’s Voltage exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Chantel Gushue, shown in SNAG’s Voltage exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

News from Central Asia was “one of my favorite exhibitions,” says Bové. “Curator Aida Sulova asked Central Asian artists and designers to share the news from their home country in the form of a wearable object. The artwork in this show delved into expressing aspects of their respective countries through jewelry. The conceptual aspect drew viewers in to learn more about the events and history that inspired the artists to create the artwork.” Exhibition view, News from Central Asia, work on mannequins by Altynai Osmoeva, work on back wall by Galina and Evgeny Boikov, work hanging above radiator by Saule Dyussenbina, photo: Jim Bové

Exhibition view, News from Central Asia, held during NYCJW21, work on mannequins by Altynai Osmoeva, photo: Jim Bové

The felt in this work is the same type as is used to make nomadic yurts. Altynai Osmoeva, Woman, felt, silver, crystals, hand printed silk lining, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Found-object, site-specific jewelry created during an artist residency at Lazy Art residence. While not wearable, the work’s impermanence and choice of materials questions what jewelry is. What is the function of jewelry when it’s not being worn, or when it’s on display, as it is often viewed in galleries and museums? Is paying homage to function enough, or must it be functional to be jewelry? Saule Dyussenbina, Lazy Art Jewelry, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

In every home in Uzbekistan, one can find an item with a symbol of cotton. There are dishes strewn with the image of cotton bolls that are widely used in everyday life, at weddings, public gatherings, etc. In this artwork, the artist deconstructs the common, everyday objects featuring the ubiquitous cotton design and creates jewelry. Dilyara Kaipova, Curse of Cotton, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Dilyara Kaipova, Curse of Cotton, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Resembling frescos, these brooches focus on the history of the ancient Uyghur culture. Once a part of the culture, the unified brow line was brought back as a symbol of resistance. Brooch collaboration between Guzel Zakir and Judy Ai, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

During the civil war in Tajikistan, people stuffed their windows with wadded mattresses. They protected themselves from bullets with round aluminum lids from washing machines. The pendant on the right was created by melting silver jewelry—earrings, rings, chain—which the artist accumulated from her school years in Tajikistan (1998–2006). Diana Rahmanova, Accord Medallion, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Based on Soviet pins that were designed to indoctrinate and create a sense of national collective identity, the pins here adorn a “boorkak,” or bib, that would be worn by a child. In this artwork the sense of indoctrination begins as a child. Altynai Osmoeva, Idols We Grow Up With, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Altynai Osmoeva, Idols We Grow Up With (detail), shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

“Perestroika was not an overnight event that replaced the old with the new,” says the wall placard. “In a way, we are still in that phase trying to jump from one broken piece onto another. The broken asphalt represents the broken Soviet Union.” Exhibition view showing work by Zalkar Askaraliev, News from Central Asia held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

The necklace can be assembled into its imagery when not worn, but “breaks apart” when presented on the body or displayed on a wall. Zalkar Askaraliev, Perestroika, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Each figure in this necklace and on the pins is a silhouette of an actual protester. Galina and Evgeny Boikov, Kinematics of Protest, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Chinara Niyazova, Forgotten Braids, shown in the News from Central Asia exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

The Commence Jewelry Graduate Showcase had a fresh approach for its identifying labels: names and titles hand-written on crumpled lined notebook paper. Aminata Conteh, It’ll Be All Right Just Take My Hand, shown in the Commence Jewelry Graduate Showcase held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Ellen Sisti, Detritus Bangle II, shown in the Commence Jewelry Graduate Showcase held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Rolph Scarlett worked in painting and jewelry. Seeing jewelry as an almost sculptural medium, Scarlett created large, expressive works in silver and semiprecious stones. This was “a simple display of truly wonderful jewelry,” says Bové. Shown in Stimulating Rythms: Rolph Scarlett Jewelry, held at Debra Force Fine Art during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Rolph Scarlett, shown in Stimulating Rythms: Rolph Scarlett Jewelry, held at Debra Force Fine Art during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Dream Machine was curated by Sylvie Alusitz, Kate Dannenberg, and Betsy Lewis. Reflecting back on the uncertainty of the past year and looking forward toward what the future holds, the diverse artwork explores various themes of identity, intimacy, and the body through jewelry, tableware, and sculptural objects. Work by Danni Xu, shown in the Dream Machine exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Danni Xu, shown in the Dream Machine exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Kamilė Stanelienė, shown in the Dream Machine exhibition held during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

For the Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity exhibition, held at The Jewelry Library during NYCJW21, sister artists Luci Jockel and Emily Jockel created artwork in ceramics and jewelry, exploring materials and interactions. Books that influenced their creative process were displayed alongside the artwork, photo: Jim Bové

These cast silver hair braids with set gemstone were made from braids of hair from loved ones. Work by Luci Jockel, shown in Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity, held at The Jewelry Library during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Work by Emily Jockel, shown in Sisterhood: Bodies in Proximity, held at The Jewelry Library during NYCJW21, photo: Jim Bové

Author

Jim Bové

Jim Bové is an educator and artist who lives south of Pittsburgh, PA, US. His artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally and has been featured at the Royal Ueno Museum, in Tokyo, Japan; Schmuck, in Munich, Germany; New Taipei City, Taiwan; and the Cheongju International Craft Biennale, in South Korea. Bové teaches workshops throughout the United States and abroad.

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