London Metropolitan University's MA by Project 2010 Degree show put on display some very good work.
A strong balance of concept, craftsmanship and display made the show especially successful.
As there were many great works in this show I am just focusing on the jewellery designer/makers in this blog post.
Most of these artists I know very well as we started at London Met together but they took the 2 year part-time route within their course. I understood their initial proposal ideas but saw very little of the evolution of the work until this night. I was very impressed with the why, what, and how they moved their work into the final permutations.
Dyana Ripero's work (above) is all about movement and how adornment can be used to demonstrate personality, character and a raw sexuality. It is very fashion and performance oriented and punk rock to the core! The fun, edgy side of jewellery!
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De Anna Kiernan's display demonstrated how her work was about the fit and how it was worn on the body. The sensuous curves and smooth textures of her necklaces felt at home nestled into the divots and slopes of a woman's neck. (This isn't just speculation. I know this personally as I was one of the models for her work.)
She wanted to not display the necklaces by placing them on the body but to display the body using the necklaces. To call attention to the beauty every woman holds.
Ms. Kiernan's design skills were recognized by the Adler Company during the Adler Design Competiton in June 2009
Her work will also be featured in the November 2010 issue of UK Vogue
and during Brilliantly Birmingham 2010 (weblink unavailable at posting time)
You can see more of her work and contact her through her website:
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Isabelle Busnel developed jewellery around ideas of concavity and unusual forms of attachment using magnets and tension. Her work is whimsical and innocent but has the ability to be very provocative if used properly. A playful poke at two ways jewellery can function. She mostly works in enameled copper and steel but there were two fascinating brooches with wonderful play of inside and outside made of silver. I just love them particularly -- that little peek inside...
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Kelly Nacht's jewellery is based on Islamic patterning and the geometry of pattern itself. She hand pierced each piece and layered them to create depth and to pull the viewer into the work. When displayed on the skin the shadows of the geometry flow and undulate across and around the body in a fascinating display of light and dark.
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Peta Bush has developed an idea that has long been needed -- attractive medicinal jewellery. She took the techniques of Eastern trigger point release therapy and adapted them to wearable art. Her jewellery is designed to put pressure on certain point of the body to help in pain and tension reduction without being clunky, ugly, or to utilitarian in aesthetic. These items are smooth, organic and attractive. They call attention to themselves not the person wearing them nor their medical problem. A big "Amen" to that is what I have to add.
You can delve further into Peta's research in her blog at:
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