The contemporary jewelry scene sometimes acts like it doesn’t matter where you come from. The nationality of makers—and viewers—is acknowledged and then denied, an accident of birth but not something that needs to be factored into the interpretation of the work. So, what happens if you try and locate Lisa Walker as a New Zealand […]
Lisa Walker: Necklace Read More »
Contemporary jewelry is doing OK. It does not need another pat on the back in the form of a 300-page book of images. When taking on the task of editor in 2010, Damian Skinner decided to treat Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective as an opportunity to examine jewelry as a mature, fully developed practice. Rather than
This Is Not a Book (Part 2) Read More »
Contemporary jewelry is doing OK. It does not need another pat on the back in the form of a 300-page book of images. When taking on the task of editor in 2010, Damian Skinner decided to treat Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective as an opportunity to examine jewelry as a mature, fully developed practice. Rather than
This Is Not A Book (Part 1) Read More »
What makes contemporary jewelry unique? What are the singular characteristics that distinguish these objects and practices from other forms of visual arts? One way to answer this is to consider the spaces in which contemporary jewelry circulates. It inhabits not only the walls and plinths of museums, but also the private spaces of collectors’ drawers
Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective: Pratt Read More »
View of exhibition entrance, La Frontera, 2013, Museo Franz Mayer, México D.F., Mexico, photo: Mike Holmes/Velvet da Vinci Historically, Guerrero has the rougher reputation—its mountains were home to Lucio Cabañas and his guerrilla in the 70s, for example—but Michoacán is now renowned for drug cartel activity, and during the week before I left for the
Jewels on the Border: La Frontera Exhibition Read More »
What makes contemporary jewelry unique? What are the singular characteristics that distinguish these objects and practices from other forms of visual arts? One way to answer this is to consider the spaces in which contemporary jewelry circulates. It inhabits not only the walls and plinths of museums, but also the private spaces of collectors’ drawers
Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective: Renwick Read More »
“A scholarly, thoughtful, and serious compendium of thinking about contemporary jewelry, from uncovering its origins to considering its definition among the do-it-yourself trend … A tome for the eclectic reader and fan of today’s artistry in jewelry.” Booklist Mill Valley, California, USA–Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) announces the publication of Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective, the organization’s most ambitious project to
AJF Launches In-Depth Book on Contemporary Jewelry Read More »
Mill Valley, California, USA—Art Jewelry Forum (AJF) announces the schedule of special events organized in support of their book Contemporary Jewelry in Perspective, the organization’s most ambitious project to date. A series of speaking engagements, book signings, and receptions has been planned in collaboration with major cultural and academic institutions in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA,
Art Jewelry Forum Announces East Coast Speakers Tour Read More »
Roberta Bernabei. Contemporary Jewellers: Interviews with European Artists. Oxford: Berg Publishers, 2011. Bernabei begins with a historical overview of European jewelry from the Middle Ages to the present day. All too often, the studio art movement is touted as the father of the studio jewelry movement, leaving students with little sense of the origins of
Contemporary Jewellers: Interviews with European Artists Read More »
This essay was first delivered at SOFA NY in April 2012 as an AJF-sponsored talk. The lecture has been modified to meet the format and needs of the AJF website. Margaret De Patta, Untitled Painting, c. 1917-21, gouche on paper, Margaret De Patta Archives, Bielawski Trust, Point Richmond, California Margaret Strong was born in Tacoma,
The Transcendent Jewelry of Margaret De Patta: Vision in Motion Read More »
After eleven years as an editor for Lark Books, Marthe Le Van is leaving to pursue new opportunities. In charge of the jewelry list, she has, since 2000, been responsible in one way or another for more than 60 publications. As a key player in contemporary jewelry publishing, AJF was keen to find out what
Packing My Library Read More »
John Paul Cooper, Brooch, 1908, 15-karat gold, ruby, moonstone, pearl, amethyst, chrysoprase, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, gift of Susan B. Kaplan John Paul Cooper, Brooch, 1908, 15-karat gold, ruby, moonstone, pearl, amethyst, chrysoprase, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, gift of Susan B. Kaplan The gallery in which Jewels, Gems, and Treasures is housed is a reasonably
Jewels, Gems, and Treasures: Ancient to Modern Read More »
