Creation II at Goldsmiths' Hall
Necklace, Catherine Martin, hand-woven from pure platinum thread and edged with 18 carat gold (listings image, 'Profile Tulip Ring', Charlotte de Syllas, tourmaline and 22 carat red gold)
Work by 12 of the UK’s top contemporary jewellers is on show at Goldsmiths’ Hall until 11 July
Creation II (which follows on from the 2004 show Creation) is an unashamedly elitist exhibition of work by a group of jewellers who are acknowledged nationally and internationally as being some of the best in the field. Look out for names like jewellery grande dame Wendy Ramshaw and Jerwood prize winners Charlotte de Syllas and Susan Cross. The 12 have been selected by curator Mary La Trobe-Bateman, previously Director of Contemporary Applied Arts, for the strength of what she calls ‘the individual voice in their work’, and although many of the names will be familiar, some of the work on display is new – it’s been made specially for the show – and shows how these makers are continually developing their style.
Also new are the 12 accompanying short documentary films about each exhibitor. They were commissioned by the Goldsmiths Company and shot by students working under the aegis of award-winning filmmaker Paul Watson. They show how the jewellers translate their ideas into objects – a much more accessible way of exploring the creative process than the more usual wordy story boards and artists’ statements.
The 12 jewellers featured are Vicki Ambery-Smith, Malcolm Betts, Susan Cross, Charlotte de Syllas, Dorothy Hogg, Daphne Krinos, Andrew Lamb, Catherine Martin, Susan May, Wendy Ramshaw, Kamilla Ruberg and David Watkins.
www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk
