REINVENTING MEMORY CONTEMPORARY CAMEOS

This ancient jewelry format is being revived today for the exploration of personal narrative, history, and social issues. Many contemporary jewelers have created cameos at some point in their careers, especially when approaching themes of memory and loss. While some artists reserve the form to honor personal memories, others seek to evoke public recollections. The longevity and familiarity of the cameo makes it a means for artists to address narrative, history, or contemporary social issues. Constructed, enameled, drawn, etched, appropriated, or interpreted, cameolike images continue to be carried or worn on the body. This article highlights contemporary cameo work by Tore Svensson, Randy Long, Kristin Beeler, Diane Falkenhagen, Vera Siemund, Jutta Klingebiel, Melanie Bilenker, Heather White van Stolk, Bettina Speckner, Kirsten Haydon, Roberta and David Williamson, Barbara Paganin, Coreen Simpson, and Joe Wood.