2202 alter street (215) 893-8812
Stuff: Jewelry for the People
Innovative Jewelry from DC, Maryland and Virginia
May 21-24, 2009
Hours: Thursday, May 21, 1-7 pm • Friday, May 22, 3-10 pm •Saturday, May 23, 12-6 pm • Sunday, May 24, 10 am-1 pm
Opening Reception: Friday, May 22, 6:30-10:00 pm
Jewelry made out of egg shells, enameled bicycle chains, porcelain mixed with precious stones and massive felt shapes are among the highlights of “STUFF: Jewelry for the People”, a group exhibition featuring contemporary, conceptual, and art jewelry being made in Maryland, DC and Virginia that will be held at Sub Octo Gallery, in Philadelphia, from May 21 through May 24, 2009.
The Exhibition includes the works of twenty artists and was curated by Ellen Reiben, owner of DC’s Jewelerswerk, one of the most prominent US jewelry galleries. Reiben’s handpicked pieces show the use of a new vocabulary in the making of jewelry, as well as an innovative use of materials. Natalya Pinchuk’s felt pieces, for instance, recall human body parts with a combination of humor and delicate craftsmanship. Pinchuk is an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA.
Katja Toporski, a jeweler based in MD, found her motif in the Royal keys at the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum of London and fashions pendants inspired by their silhouette, while Sharlaine Anapu, a native of New Zealand who now lives in DC, experiments with fragile materials such as a broken egg shells and Japanese paper to create a delicate and stunning group of rings.
“STUFF” will coincide with the upcoming Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG) 2009 conference, to be held in Philadelphia. This year SNAG’s theme is Revolution. “STUFF” will show the revolution that is occurring in the DC area in the jewelry field, thanks to emergent and established artists developing work that dares to push the boundaries of what is commonly known as jewelry.
Richmond’s metalsmith Gabriel Craig will take the debate about what is jewelry a step further with the continuous presentation during “Stuff” of four videos that document four jewelry-thematic performances he has staged over the past two years. “Often it is through humor or performance that I promote accessibility in my work”, says Craig.