Now Showing: Dichotomies in Objects: Contemporary South African Studio Jewelry from the Stellenbosch Area (through Saturday, July 31)

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:30:45 +0000

Curated by Lauren Kalman and Carine Terreblanche

Exhibition catalog available

Independent studio jewelers work within a complex political, social, and economic context. At the bottom of Africa, jewelers often express a feeling of isolation from the global metalsmithing community. Though many South African studio jewelers look toward European aesthetics and methodologies there is a connection to South Africa that seems to permeate their forms. European traditions become hybridized with the heritage of indigenous African adornment, regional landscape, and the commercial jewelry industry. The platinum and diamonds that are mined locally are a major part of the jewelry design vocabulary and are integrated with influences like colonial Dutch architecture, makeshift township settlements, and West African goldsmithing.

Many South African studio jewelers are looking to traditional African jewelry such as gold leaf, beadwork, carved wood, and basket weaving. Nanette Nel, a recent master's student at the University of Stellenbosch, works with disgustingly pink, exotic floral forms made out of silicone rubber. Her handbags, brooches, and rings combine the intensely pigmented synthetic material with. hidden black diamonds, carved wood, and gold leaf. She simultaneously nods to the experimental materials used in contemporary jewelry practices, Ashanti gold-leafed talisman, and the commercialized diamond industry.

Precious materials are often juxtaposed with found debris. Considering the breathtaking and diverse landscape of South Africa, indigenous organic objects are naturally a major influence and material in the work. In much of the local work, finely-crafted settings cradle coal, indigenous woods, and other non-precious materials.

Some jewelers are also looking at pop culture and street crafts. These include trendy designs as well as handmade kitsch. In the jewelry, the found object is often used to produce a parody of the commercial jewelry industry.

Makeshift construction using materials like rubber, plastic and recycled metal can be seen on a daily basis from township buildings to handmade crafts designed for the tourist market. Some jewelers adopt this bricoleur mentality.

The most engaging South African studio jewelers continue to push boundaries in making their work. This gives them the opportunity to influence the commercial industry and challenge narrow views of what jewelry is and who makes it.

-Lauren Kalman

Nanette Nel "Verkeerdom Protea" Handbag/Neckpiece

Nanette Nel "Om-gekeerd Protea" Handbag/Neckpiece

Nanette Nel "ROOI" Wallpiece/Neckpiece

View all available images from this exhibition

Velvet da Vinci Gallery
Contemporary Art Jewelry and Metalwork
2015 Polk Street (between Pacific and Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-441-0109

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Coming Soon: Lisa and Scott Cylinder (Starts Wednesday, August 11)

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:23:43 +0000

Velvet da Vinci Gallery
Contemporary Art Jewelry and Metalwork
2015 Polk Street (between Pacific and Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-441-0109

If you use iGoogle, use this button to add our news feed to your iGoogle page:

Coming Soon: Susie Ganch (Starts Wednesday, August 11)

Sun, 3 Jan 2010 17:52:29 +0000

Velvet da Vinci Gallery
Contemporary Art Jewelry and Metalwork
2015 Polk Street (between Pacific and Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-441-0109

If you use iGoogle, use this button to add our news feed to your iGoogle page:

Coming Soon: Plastic Jewelry (Starts Friday, October 1)

Fri, 1 Jan 2010 19:21:45 +0000

Velvet da Vinci Gallery
Contemporary Art Jewelry and Metalwork
2015 Polk Street (between Pacific and Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94109
415-441-0109

If you use iGoogle, use this button to add our news feed to your iGoogle page:

Velvet Da Vinci Gallery News

Now Showing: Dichotomies in Objects: Contemporary South African Studio Jewelry from the Stellenbosch Area (through Saturday, July 31)

Coming Soon: Lisa and Scott Cylinder (Starts Wednesday, August 11)

Coming Soon: Susie Ganch (Starts Wednesday, August 11)

Coming Soon: Plastic Jewelry (Starts Friday, October 1)