In London, Louisa Guinness Gallery collaborates with modern artists to create limited-edition jewellery, persevering with the idea of artwork jewellery as established within the mid-Twentieth century by the sculptors Alexander Calder and Claude Lalanne. Ms. Guinness’s gallery sells their very own, together with items in silver, copper, porcelain, polyamide, glass and crystal in addition to in gold and diamonds designed by the likes of Cornelia Parker, Yinka Shonibare and Ron Arad.
“Folks have grow to be much less involved concerning the uncooked supplies so long as a bit is superbly made,” Ms. Guinness stated. “Folks used to scoff at wooden or glass or bronze in effective jewellery, however now it’s extra accepted.”
She likened the marketplace for artists’ jewellery to that of up to date artwork; she recalled a silver necklace by Calder that bought for $2 million at Sotheby’s New York in 2013. “The price of the supplies is inconsequential,” she stated. “Canvas and paint aren’t costly, however a Picasso is vastly helpful.”
Since Ms. Guinness established the gallery in 2003, superior manufacturing methods reminiscent of laser sintering and 3-D printing have enabled artists utilizing commonplace supplies to realize finishes that would not have been achieved prior to now. “A bit made in bronze may promote for a bit bit lower than the identical design in gold — however not lots much less,” Ms. Guinness stated.
Jane Collins, senior editor for equipment, footwear and jewellery on the development forecasting group WGSN, stated that even outdoors the world of artists’ jewellery, designers had been extra ceaselessly reaching for unconventional supplies. The development is pushed partly by the general public’s rising want for uniqueness, she stated, and partly due to issues about sustainability.
“The worth of uncooked supplies not has a huge effect on the perceived worth of knickknack — the worth is all within the design and craftsmanship,” she stated. “I don’t suppose it issues if a designer is utilizing wooden, sea glass and even asbestos. It’s what they mix it with and the labor concerned that make it helpful, particularly in relation to limited-edition or one-of-a-kind items.”
