AJF published 118 fascinating, reflective articles this year. That’s so many to choose from! Selecting the five articles most interesting ones was like asking which pet is your favorite. How to pick? But choose I did. (Don’t worry, I don’t have that many pets. Bad analogy!)
A Peek into the Collection of ATTA Gallery’s Atty Tantivit
Why I picked it: Voyeuristic fun. Who doesn’t want a glimpse into the collections of some of the biggest names in the field? Besides, it’s light, easy reading. When Jennifer Altmann proposed this “Inside the Jewelry Box” series, I thought it was such a great idea … and I have to admit envy for not coming up with the concept myself!
So far, we’ve published three articles in this series. I chose this one because I particularly enjoyed seeing David Bielander’s Frankfurter necklace.
Kaia Ansip’s review of Teresa Milheiro’s 1984 exhibition
Why I picked it: Grab-you-by-the-guts writing made me feel as if I were there, even though I haven’t been to the show at all. Plus the photos accompanying the text supported her writing perfectly, further helping me to experience the show “with” her. Furthermore, Ansip’s review helped me understand what the artist aims to do in her work.
Anneleen Swillen on scenography during Munich’s jewelry week
Why I picked it: In my former life as a DIY book editor, I had to think about how photos and graphic design could amplify words and tell a coherent story. Exhibition design is a still more complex version of that, with three-dimensional objects in a space. I’m fascinated by it.
Munich brings an additional challenge: Exhibitors travel in on planes, trains, and automobiles. They have very little time to mount their show, undoubtedly with limited materials, in an unfamiliar space they may only have seen in photos, and probably on a shoestring budget. And they’re competing for attention with a zillion other exhibitions. They have to be creative! What imaginative things will they do? Cardboard pedestals, for a start!
Abigail Ellen Pontefract’s internship at a leading metal casting company
Why I picked it: Vicarious enjoyment of a rare opportunity. The award-winning emerging maker spent 10 days designing and producing one piece of jewelry at a casting company’s headquarters. She talked about the equipment and tools she got to use—stuff most of us don’t get to access. Fascinating!
Our interview with Aaron Decker
Why I picked it: Accompanied by photos of his absolutely bonkers Die! No! Bomb! (Parure), Decker talks in an approachable way about his practice. He describes its genesis and what he seeks to communicate with his work. He talks about the field, too, and brings up work/life balance.
READERS’ CHOICES
Enough from me. What did you, the readers of AJF, most enjoy this year?
A Peek into the Collection of Artist Helen Britton
Also from the “Inside the Jewelry Box” series. When it comes to selecting jewelry for her own collection, Britton is particularly drawn to animals, and she loves jewelry that makes her laugh.
Everyone’s a Little Sick of Karl Fritsch, But …
Was it the sassy title that drew you in? In point of fact, nobody’s sick of Fritsch! Besides being well-respected in our field, he has terrific cross-over into other markets for jewelry. In this article, curator Grace Lai described the artist’s multimedia collaborations with artists whose practices span jewelry, furniture, ad-hoc electronics, ceramics, photography, and more.
Don’t Call Him the Grandfather of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Contemporary Jewelry
Great-Uncle Alan Preston answered Philip Clarke’s questions about the Kātahi me Ināianei/Now and Then show, which presented a selection of jewelry Preston wears from his personal collection. It was exhibited hanging on a wall, much like Preston keeps it on his own home. They also talked about 50 years of Fingers gallery and more. They had me at “Preston once wore 27 pieces of jewelry to an event.”
Not Jewelry, Not Art, but Work: Looking Closely with Noam Elyashiv
Lauren Fensterstock reviewed Workspace, at Chazan Gallery at Wheeler, in Providence, RI. Many of the brooches were turned to display the backs. “This reveals a poignant jewelry moment,” wrote Fensterstock, “in the gesture of pinning, as we bind an object onto ourselves. [Elyashiv] shows us a pervasive hierarchy that doesn’t have to exist: We typically prioritize that which we show others, rather than that which faces only ourselves. Equality is of utmost importance to Elyashiv and she shows us how it exists in our relationship with matter, revealing formal prejudices so closely held we didn’t realize we carried them.”
Goings on in Oz: 2024 Events in Australia
The Australian jewelry and metalsmithing community is active, always busy pushing boundaries and creating thoughtful works of great beauty and cultural value. Vicki Mason’s report gave a snapshot of the scene.
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