Category: Events

Jewelry Jaunts Paris – A Magical Week of Luxury, Culture and Art with NYCJW

This past May, NYC Jewelry Week embarked on a new adventure with Jewelry Jaunts, our first-ever jewelry trip to Paris organized by Bella Neyman. In case you are wondering where we went, we decided to share our Travel Diary with you.

Our home away from home was the chic Hôtel des Grands Boulevards. Merci for taking such great care of us!

Monday, May 12th 

Our Parisian adventure started at the Louvre with a visit to the museum’s first-ever fashion exhibition, LOUVRE Couture: Art and Fashion Statement Pieces. It felt like even the three hours we spent wandering the galleries of the Louvre were not enough to see the insanely gorgeous 99 garments on view. Spread out across the Decorative Arts galleries of the Richelieu and Sully wings of the museum, the exhibition – one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen – featured garments from the leading couturiers past and present, paired with the museum’s rich collection of antiquities and decorative objects. It truly felt like you were on a treasure hunt to find the next ensemble.  

After traipsing through the galleries and picking our jaws off the floor, it was time to leave the museum for our first jewelry visit of the week. We walked to Chaumet located at 12 Place Vendôme. Established in 1780 by Marie-Étienne Nitot, Chaumet holds the distinction of being one the most venerable jewelry houses in France – and the first to call Place Vendôme home.

A private tour of their archives with the Directrice du Patrimoine gave us a glimpse into a small selection of their 66,000 jewelry drawings! We were also presented with an incredible array of historically significant jewels – from diamond-encrusted bird wing brooch (1908) owned by Gertrude Whitney to 1970s Arcade Chaumet textured gold ear cuffs, to medals from the Paris 2024 Olympics. We also enjoyed a visit to their Tiara gallery, where everyone felt like a princess.

Our last visit of the day was to the jewel-box boutique owned by renowned jeweler Lydia Courteille at 231 Rue Saint-Honoré. I was particularly excited to see the famous Topkapi ring and earrings on view side by side.  Courteille spoke to us about starting her business as a collector of vintage jewelry and how it has influenced her modern day creations. She even signed some books for us!

Tuesday, May 13th 

Tuesday morning started off bright and early at Mellerio, located at 9 rue de la Paix. Since 1613, Mellerio has been the world’s oldest family-owned and independent jewelry house in France. Today, it is operated by owner and creative director Laure-Isabelle Mellerio. Outside of Paris, you can find their jewels only at Bergdorf Goodman—but you can only visit their archives and see their museum masterpieces in Paris.

We were truly blown away by their gorgeous record books, which date back to the 19th century and feature not just the names of their clients but also select designs. The most surprising and historically significant item on view was the marmotte—the case that the Mellerio family used to carry their jewels and stones when they were traveling merchants in the 16th century.

Another interesting fact: Mellerio jewelry was so in demand that, in the 19th century, they worked with over 100 workshops in Paris to produce their pieces.

From one historic jewelry house, we went to visit another. At 26 Place Vendôme resides Boucheron Heritage House. It is not everyday that one gets a masterclass with Boucheron’s Heritage Director. The House, founded in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron, has called Place Vendôme home since 1892. Today, led by two women, Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO, and Claire Choisne, Creative Director, the house is a recognized global leader in High Jewelry.

One of the most valuable lessons we learned here was how to look at jewelry: always look at the back—it must be as beautiful as the front. Then, close your eyes and feel the jewel. Make sure the light is right by facing away from the sun, as too much natural light can alter the color of the stones. Did we try on a question mark necklace? Oui!

From 26, we walked down Place Vendôme to 19 and “shook the hand” (his door handle is a cast hand) of Lorenz Bäumer. The only independent jeweler on Place Vendôme, Lorenz Bäumer has been designing jewelry for over thirty years. Prior to launching his own brand, he was the Artistic Director at Chanel for 20 years and later launched the fine jewelry collection at Louis Vuitton. Lorenz, a wonderful storyteller, was as charming and fascinating as the jewels were gorgeous.

Our last stop of the day was at the Petit Palais to see their Jewelry Drawings (Dessins de bijoux) exhibition. For the first time, the Petit Palais opened up its collection of drawings from the second half of the 19th century to the mid-20th century. Through a remarkable selection of designs from a collection comprising over 5,500 works, this exhibition showcases the richness of a body of work amassed since the late 1990s. I especially loved seeing the drawings that had matching jewels on view. Great attention was paid to the work of René Lalique, Boucheron, Pierre-Georges Deraisme, and Charles Jacqueau at Cartier.

Wednesday, May 14th

What can be said about a day that starts with a private, curator-led visit to the jewelry galleries of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs? Just glorious. We were welcomed to the museum before it opened to the public and had the chance to flip the switch and see the jewels come alive before our eyes.

Currently, 1,000 of the 6,000-piece collection (owned by the State and founded to inspire other craftsmen) are on view—and while the two galleries are arranged in somewhat chronological order, we couldn’t help but zigzag through periods, styles, and makers, asking questions and pointing excitedly along the way. I was glued to the Art Nouveau section—the museum has more than 200 pieces representative of the style.

Leaving the museum made us want to touch and try on jewelry, so it was a good thing that Élie Top was waiting to meet us in his atelier, located at 217 rue Saint-Honoré. Previously the jewelry designer at Yves Saint Laurent, Top has been designing jewelry under his own name since 2015. Inspired by Gothic architecture and armor, celestial symbolism, and nature, Top’s creations are sculptural and bold. We had the pleasure of being regaled by his stories in the “Living Room” of his salon and trying on pieces from his newest collection, Dangerous Liaisons, which took him ten years to develop.

Following this intimate salon visit, we were whisked away to the grand apartments of Messika on the avenue des Champs-Élysées. In just 20 years, Valérie Messika has built an empire alongside her famous diamond-dealer father, André Messika. 

Revolutionizing how women wear diamonds – every day, of course – she has broken the code of classical jewelry and designed some of the coolest jewels around. We had the honor of visiting the workshops and design studio, followed by a private visit to her rue de la Paix boutique. But the highlight was the balcony of the pied-à-terre, which offered us a view of the Grand Palais to our right, the Eiffel Tower straight ahead, and the Arc de Triomphe to the left. We were living our best lives yet (and feeling like Emily in Paris!).

While our main activities were over, we still had a party to go to! It was a lovely night to host a dinner with Marion Delarue and Alix Dumas back at our hotel. The two artists shared their very different, but equally artistic, approaches to jewelry.

Thursday, May 15th

Today, our day was dedicated to artist jewelry. We started off on the Right Bank, where we visited the studio-gallery of Thierry Vendome at 39 rue François Miron. Thierry’s space is small, but it contains a gallery showcasing the work of Jean Vendome (1930–2017), as well as his own. Just a few feet away from the finished pieces is Thierry’s bench and tools, where he makes everything by hand. The Vendome name is synonymous with sculptural jewelry that utilizes unusually carved and rough-cut stones in high karat gold settings.

After a delicious lunch at L’As du Fallafel, we made our way to the Left Bank and visited some of Paris’s most illustrious vintage and contemporary art jewelry galleries, including Galerie Mazlo, La Galerie Parisienne, and Galerie Subra Woolworth. However, the highlight was visiting Galerie MiniMasterpiece and meeting with proprietor Esther de Beaucé to learn all about her gallery, which specializes in jewelry by artists and sculptors. After our tour, collector Diane Venet was present to sign catalogues from her most recent exhibition at the Norton Museum in Palm Beach.

Although not officially on our itinerary, we hurried over to the Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac to see the encyclopedic exhibition Golden Thread: The Art of Dressing from North Africa to the Far East. Dinner at their restaurant, Les Ombres, with the magnificent views of the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower, was the absolute best way to conclude a fabulous day.

Friday, May 16th

Our final day in Paris was spent enjoying the quiet of the typically bustling Saint Ouen Flea Market. ​​The market is at its busiest on on the weekends, but our guide, Sandrine Merle of THE FRENCH JEWELRY POST arranged some fabulous private tours for us. This included the ultra-chic Les merveilles de Babellou, one of the finest vintage clothing stores in Paris, a visit with the vintage jewelry dealer Marie-Laure Chermezon, and a few other surprises. Exploring the stalls when they were less crowded allowed us to take our time and SHOP!

Visiting the flea market also set us up for our visit to the Hôtel Drouot. This block -long auction venue hosts some of France’s premier independent auction houses. While it’s glory days may be a thing of the past, it was still very cool to observe auctions in progress.

However the highlight of Friday was certainly visiting Olivier Baroin at his gallery, La Golconde. Baroin is considered the world’s leading Suzanne Belperron expert and antique jewelry dealer. He co-authored the publication on Belperron with Sylvie Raulet and is often the expert called upon to authenticate her jewels. Throughout our trip, we encountered Belperron jewels at the auctions (we also went to Geneva for the Sotheby’s and Christie’s sale prior to Paris) and in the galleries, so being able to meet with Olivier, ask him questions, and see Belperron’s digitized books and drawings was an incredibly special experience.

Our last official jewelry stop was to see Paris, City of Pearls at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts. The beautiful exhibition focused on Paris as the epicenter of the pearl trade at the beginning of the 20th century. Paris, City of Pearls featured not only exceptional jewels from the likes of Cartier, Lalique, JAR, and Boivin, but also fashion illustrations by Barbier to contextualize the popularity of pearls as part of the modern women’s wardrobe.

While we were sad to say goodbye, our farewell dinner at Bouillon Julien, with its gorgeously restored Art Nouveau interiors, was the perfect setting to toast to a fabulous week and make plans for next year’s trip.

“Wonder & Wander” at NYC Jewelry Week

November 18th is the day: the launch of the 7th annual NYC Jewelry Week. This year’s theme is “Wonder & Wander,” conceptualized by Bella Neyman, Founder of NYCJW, who began formulating this idea in the spring. It ignited organically as an articulation of the relationships people have to the aesthetics and poetic narratives of a piece of jewelry. “Wonder” was inspired by observing people’s reactions when viewing jewelry; according to Neyman, “They are so taken by the beauty of the piece, and they want to understand how it’s made and what that process is.” “Wander” evokes both the literal and figurative journeys designers undertake to create a piece and how that is imparted on the viewer or wearer of the object.

NYCJW’s 2024 programming is a dynamic combination of in-person and virtual events. Featuring stimulating and insightful discussions, exhibitions, and activities with presenters from over 21 countries, these unique events will speak to the ability of jewelry to foster inspiration, escapism, and meditation. The schedule showcases events throughout the city with core programming at the Museum of Arts and Design, which was overseen by Neyman to closely correlate with the theme.

David Michael handmade Queen Bee pendant via Shreve, Crump & Low

Diverse Talks, Youth Workshops, and Material-Focused Events

The four MAD talk topics include a conversation with Michael Robinson of David Michael Jewels, a New Zealander who creates single author jewels. His extraordinary craftsmanship and singular eye for beauty can be found in every aspect of his process, from watercolor renderings to hand-set gemstones. Two subsequent talks merge jewelry with the world of fashion, an essential connection for Neyman who believes that there is “not enough of a conversation between jewelry and fashion, but the two go hand in hand.” (The Jewelry Library will also be presenting a curatorial talk and brunch on the iconic Iris Apfel as part of their programming.) In addition, Neyman feels strongly that children should be included in NYCJW, and she has organized several events for youths at different venues, including Brooklyn Central Library, to explore their creativity in workshops.

Within the big tent of “Wonder & Wander” are multiple events centered around subtopics led by the likes of designers, dealers, auction house specialists, scholars, curators, collectors, historians, and gallerists. For those interested in learning more about specific materials, there are lively discussions about platinum, enamel, coral, tourmalines, and gold (the latter two ethically sourced from mines in Brazil and Peru respectively). The “Embedded” exhibition highlights jewelers who utilize unconventional metals and waste material to make “objects of wonder.” The posthumous “Attai Chen: All the World’s a Stage” gallery exhibit pays tribute to the maker whose primary medium was paper. It is being held at Pratt Institute, a longtime partner of NYCJW, which is hosting several other exciting exhibitions. In Tribeca, the important multidisciplinary triennial “Objects: USA 2024” features Contemporary American designers and artists in a curated show that challenges traditional boundaries between fine art, craft, and design.

A necklace by Attai Chen on view at NYCJW24
Attai Chen Necklace via Gallery Loupe

Art Jewelry, Designer Highlights, and Curated Experiences

Further programming includes in-depth dives into art jewelry, techniques both old and new, and designers’ processes from conception to fabrication. Opportunities to hear from emerging and established creatives abound. Not to be missed is the conversation at Rizzoli Bookstore with renowned jeweler Solange Azagury-Partridge on the launch of her first book “Jewellery for Chromantics.” Additional special events include a panel on “Designers of Tomorrow: Shaping Luxury,” a Brooklyn studio tour of the popular brand Catbird, and the Gemological Institute of America’s panel presenting designers distinguished for their use of colored gemstones.

Another must-see is Neyman’s “Wonder & Wander” curation of antique and contemporary jewelry at The RealReal. Her selection comes from the luxury consignment marketplace’s archive and is available to view on their website or in their New York locations. Another noteworthy gallery exhibition features fifth-generation gem sculptor Philipp Munsteiner; his pieces will be displayed alongside works by his mother and late father. The young Munsteiner is already an award winner for his wondrous work at the ripe age of twenty.

Atelier Munsteiner ‘Dragon’s Egg’ necklace via Aaron Faber

Virtual Programming Highlights

Along with the extensive schedule of live events is robust virtual programming organized by Neyman. eBay is sponsoring several of these talks, including ones on the significance of signet rings and the storytelling appeal of charms. Journeys through time and space will be undertaken in multiple discussions such as one on jewelry mementos of the 19th century Grand Tour and another offering a virtual tour of the World Jewellery Museum in Seoul.

Installation at the World Jewellery Museum, Korea

HERE WE ARE Awards

An important part of NYCJW is their HERE WE ARE equity initiative. Each year they grant two Emerging Entrepreneurs Awards to jewelers; in 2020, Lisette Scott of the brand Jam + Rico received this honor. This year, NYCJW is delighted to celebrate her as the recipient of its Exhibitions Award, sponsored by David Yurman. Jam + Rico’s new collection “Island Gold” will be launching this week with a vibrant reception and panel.

Inspiration behind Jam + Rico’s latest collection, “Island Gold” inspired by Barbados

Special Thanks to Key Supporters and Partners

In addition to the wonderfully generous partners and sponsors mentioned above, a special thanks to Freeman’s | Hindman, UrbanGlass, Atelier d’Emotion, Mahnaz Collection, Heritage Auctions, and International Gemological Institute. Their support and collaboration play an integral role in NYCJW. In pursuing “Wonder & Wander,” Neyman, her team, and all the presenters have created an engaged and enthusiastic community, one which is fully activated by the participation of a global audience.

Written by Michelle Plastrik. Michelle is an art advisor and writer living in New York City..

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Gemstones, Plague, and Power: A Review of “The Stone Witch of Florence”

Non-Fiction: Gemmologist Anna Rasche’s Debut Novel Weaves a Tale of 14th Century Florence.

“The Stone Witch of Florence” is a multifaceted debut novel by gemmologist and historian Anna Rasche that alchemizes history, mystery, and fantasy. Set in Florence during a devastating period of rampant Black Plague, the compelling central character is Ginevra di Gasparo. She is a gifted healer who uses a treasured collection of gemstones to alleviate illness and save the lives of rich and poor alike despite threats of being condemned as a witch. The story transitions seamlessly between multiple timelines: scenes of Ginevra’s childhood and teenage years in the port city of Genoa during the early 1330s; her time at a Florentine convent in the mid 1330s-1340 until being exiled; and her eventual return to Florence in 1348.

The Magical Mentor and the Power of Gemstones

Ginevra’s “invisible golden strings” that signal her inheritance of magical aptitude are recognized in her youth by a local folk healer, Vermilia. This healer teaches her how to apply her gift, urging utmost discretion given the closed-mindedness of their medieval society on the cusp of the Renaissance. Precarious situations that could result from Ginevra’s impetuousness matched with her kind heart are portended. Vermilia sends Ginevra to Florence to learn from her cousin Agnesa, an abbess at a convent. Ginevra is trained by Agnesa and reads ancient classical treatises to intuit and implement the power of specific gemstones for healing and protection.

Gem lovers will delight in the essential role familiar stones—amber, amethyst, bloodstone, heliodor, jasper, selenite—and seemingly unfamiliar ones—hyacinth (sapphire), smaragdus (emerald)—play in the plot. Specific jeweled pieces that Rasche modeled on historic extant examples include a “mano figa,” sweetheart brooch, pomander, and engraved ring.

A City in Crisis: Relics, Plague, and Redemption

The crux of the novel revolves around Ginevra’s recall to Florence in its hour of greatest need. As the city crumbles and citizens fall prey to disease, a thief has been stealing holy church relics. Ginevra is engaged to recover them and, if successful, will be aided in her lifelong dream of attaining official recognition as a physician. Rasche’s research expertise is on full display as she conjures the sights and smells of Trecento Italy, the geography of Florence, and the rituals of relics. Serendipitously, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has currently on view a special exhibition on a rival Tuscan city in the first half of the 14th century that was also decimated by the bubonic plague. “Siena: The Rise of Painting, 1300-1350” provides an immersive, complimentary experience to this novel, affording viewers the opportunity to see objects that evoke Rasche’s detailed descriptions of imported textiles, religious art, and reliquaries.

Myth, Magic, and the Timeless Allure of Gems

The primal and poetic connection jewelry lovers have to stones is evoked in passages such as Ginevra’s recounting to her friend Lucia (a character who discovers her own agency later in the novel) about the origin of the exotic and expensive diamante. Ginevra tells the fantastical tale, which was believed at the time, about how diamonds were mined in India by eagles. In addition, protective coral features in pivotal scenes throughout “The Stone Witch of Florence,” and Ginevra is told hauntingly about the origin of the organic gemstone—that it stems from the blood of Medusa’s head. The novel emphasizes the importance of female mentorship and friendship that is strengthened with a delightful and timely cameo by a famous woman scholar in the epilogue set in 1925.

For NYC Jewelry Week 2024, Rasche will be talking about her book on Tuesday, November 19th, at the beloved West Village store Gray & Davis, which specializes in antique and custom jewelry. It is a fitting setting to toast a book that conveys a love of gems and jewelry. Purchase the book here to immerse yourself in the world of The Stone Witch of Florence ahead of the event.

Written by Michelle Plastrik. Michelle is an art advisor and writer living in New York City..

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A Surreal Soirée: The World of Sam Kramer

“Despite being one of the most influential – and indeed most eccentric – of the American modernist jewelers, Sam Kramer (1913–1964) has received little recognition. His expressive, organic work and surreal workshop, located on West 8th Street in New York’s Greenwich Village, paved the way for other mid-twentieth century metalsmiths, and for many more working today.”

Thankfully, Sam’s time to shine within the storied shelves of jewelry history has come. The book
Sam Kramer: Jeweler on the Edge, by Toni Greenbaum, “investigates Sam Kramer as both a seminal artist and a cult personality. Through lavish color photographs of rarely seen works as well as newly discovered archival material, the story of this unique individual is told against a backdrop of post-Second World War America of the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Mirroring both the existential angst and quirky humor of the Beat Generation, Sam Kramer embodied the iconoclastic spirit of his era.”

And that iconoclastic spirit was captured, quite literally, last week at a SURREAL SOIRÉE thrown to celebrate Greenbaum’s book. Hosted by The Jewelry Library and curated by independent Creative Director and Curator Aida Sulova at Spiral (x,y,z) in Tribeca, the event was just the dose of surrealism we needed. Greenbaum was on hand to sign copies of her book, and Sam Kramer’s grandchildren joined the festivities.

We invite you to relive the evening with us via the photographs by Aida Sulova presented here and snag the book for your library HERE.

Above: Author Toni Greenbaum captured below a picture of Sam Kramer. Below Left: Guests get into a surreal mood. Below Right: Model Mareme wears work by Sam Kramer in front of large-scale replicas of Kramer’s drawings.
Above: Images of Sam Kramer and his studio are surrounded by surreal inspired snacks. Below Left to Right: Work by artist Polina Osipova on view and as interactive photo opps on the mirrors, party guests, the scene before the party opened.
Above: Creative Director and Curator Aida Sulova recreated drawings by Sam Kramer to adorn the event space. Below: party guests embrace the surreal.
Above: A group shot of several guests before the evening closed. Below: Guest of honor author Toni Greenbaum poses with pillows created by Aida Sulova in the likeness of Sam Kramer’s work and a quote from the jeweler describing his jewelry is framed for posterity.

All photography by Aida Sulova. Thank you to Toni Greenbaum, Aida Sulova, The Jewelry Library and Spiral (x,y,z). Event recap edited, compiled, and formatted by JB Jones.

Exploring News From Central Asia with Aida Sulova

Welcome to Day 2 of NYC Jewelry Week! Here on Future Heirloom, we’re celebrating by bringing you special behind-the-scenes content on some of our favorite programs, events, and exhibitions every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today we’re revisiting a special feature on the NYC Jewelry Week 21 exhibition, News From Central Asia, curated by Aida Sulova, on view at The Jewelry Library November 15-21, 2021. The works in the exhibition reflect currents in Politics, the Environment, and Culture of the region. Read about the making of the exhibition and Aida’s perspective on the curatorial process below.

Above: Tiaras by Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan.

News From Central Asia exhibition brings together Central Asian artists, makers, and designers whose inspirational works reflect political protests, climate change, collective memory restoration, jewelry as reminders of historical events, transformation caused by modernization. For New York City Jewelry Week 2021, curator Aida Sulova asked Central Asian artists and designers to share the news from their home country in the form of a wearable object – a jewelry piece.

For many artists in Central Asia making art is the only way to respond and talk about the events taking place today. Although the concept of this exhibition has a geographical representation, the themes of the news are relevant to what we are witnessing in the world. Examples include “Kinematics of Protests,” “Perestroika,” “Wearable Memory Card,” “Women of Kashgar,” “Cotton as a Curse,” says curator Sulova. Central Asia is a region which stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and Mongolia in the east. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are former Soviet Republics that comprise Central Asia today. Since its Independence gained after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asian countries have been undergoing a number of major political, social, cultural transformations.

Excerpted from Aida Sulova’s Press Release for News From Central Asia

Aida Sulova’s Curatorial Field Notes for News From Central Asia

I take a deep breath to read the news from Central Asia. News from the motherland worries the most. Born in Kyrgyzstan, former Soviet Republic in Central Asia, I now live in the US. When I call my mother, who lives in Kyrgyzstan, to ask for news, it is never about a new purse that she bought or my relative’s new born baby or anything of that sort, it is always about the politics in the region. 

When I heard that “The Power of Jewelry” was going to be the theme of the New York City Jewelry Week in 2021, I wanted to propose an exhibition that would become a visual and tactile reflection of the news from Central Asia. Through the tapestry of creative visions, artworks, and field notes, I was hoping to portray the complex thinking and challenging statements of makers, designers, and artists from Central Asia. 

Above: “Fate as a Burden” by Altynai Osmoeva, Kyrgyzstan: The heaviness of legacy, knowledge, and fate that women wear.
Felt, metal (tin), crystals, hand printed silk lining; 2021; Attributions: Jewellery & styling : Altynai Osmoeva; Photography: Zemfira Abasova;
Model: Kamila Sarieva; MUA: Bashirova Tokhtykhan; Assistant: Zhypariza Zhumagazieva.

The past year was full of cataclysms that made us turn back while looking forward. Who were we, what have we become, and what have we done? Looking at what I am today, I can see my identity formation through a number of major historical events: being born and brought up in the Soviet Union, experiencing Perestroika, collapse of the old regime, life in the newly independent Muslim state, the Tulip Revolution, the April Revolution, and immigration. Now living and witnessing recent political and social upheavals in the US, I thought I’d developed some sort of immunity to the experiences of that kind. But the news kept coming and my reaction to it proved that one will never develop an emotional stability for today’s atrocities. 

After I announced the theme for the “News from Central Asia” show and sent out invitations to selected artists, I packed my stuff and went to Kyrgyzstan. The trip back home in the post-pandemic period was not only about visiting my family, friends, and memories. It was also about connecting with new people, places, and practices. Looking for new codes, symbols, and answers became a central point of the journey. 

Above: Tiaras by Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan.

I met with all participating artists, both in person and online. We talked about contemporary art and how meaningful and empowering it is when it gets to sending a message into the world. How it can be displayed not only on the walls but also on the body. I told them about The Jewelry Library and its collection of books and jewelry and its projects that unify and inspire a community of makers and storytellers. I am glad that having spent time with artists, after our walks and talks, laughs and tears, I ended up with a collection of art pieces that will be presented at the “News from Central Asia” exhibition in New York.  

How can one tell a story through a wearable object? It turns out that there are many distinctive ways! A jewelry piece called “Kinematic of Protests” is made by an artistic duo, Galina and Evgeny Boikov, who used the real silhouettes of protesters from the Kyrgyz Revolutions of 2005 and 2010 to show that “dynamics of gestures and poses of individuals in extreme situations are identical for all protests and revolutions around the world.” The Tajik artist Diana Rahmanova made a jewelry piece from the household objects that during the Civil War in Tajikistan served as body protection. Two Almaty-based artists restore a forgotten Uighur material culture through costumes, jewelry, folk dances, and stories. Jol Jol, a young Kazakh jewelry brand whose work is based on roads, proposed tiaras that repeat the shape of seven rivers in Kazakhstan, an area that used to be a concentration of life, trade, and culture, but now is drying up.

Saule Dyussenbina’s series of photos of people’s trash turned into sculptural jewelry was made during the Lazy Art residence at Issyk Kul Lake. Altynai Osmoeva uses a shape of a child’s bib to reinforce the Soviet upbringing style filled with male cult jewelry. Turkmen artist Jennet presented unusual wearable embroidered portraits of Turkmen women.

Above: Saule Dyussenbina’s photo series reinterpets trash as sculptural jewelry.

“But how would you trust Aida?” – one artist shared her story about her friends’ concern when she decided to send her mother’s jewelry for the show. “I trust her because trust is what we talk about and I hear what I’ve waited to hear. I’d like to tell the world about the richness of Uighur culture while everybody is busy with politics.” 

“I lost my sleep when I read your concept and after we met in my studio. But that is a good feeling because I feel challenged and inspired,” Jakshylyk Chentemirov, a jeweler from Kyrgyzstan told me. 






Left: Work by Jakshylyk Chentemirov

While I was doing my research on Central Asian jewelry art, I met a scholar Ekaterina Ermakova, who shared her article “From Folk Tradition to Original Jewelry Art,” which states: “In Central Asia, designer jewelry emerged in the 1970-1980s. It replaced traditional folk jewelry. The most important characteristics of this jewelry are the amount of information and freedom of choice. Today, three main stylistic directions have been formed. The first is the traditional school, within which the jewelers copy ancient jewelry using traditional materials. The second is ethnic style, the main task of which is not copying old forms, but creating a recognizable image associated with national culture. Third – contemporary artistic style based on individual perception of the national culture. In avant-garde artworks, the artist freely handles new jewelry art materials using wood, leather, felt, bone, silk.” 

Above: Wearable frescoes by Almaty-based artist Guzel Zakir and look from Kashgariya Collection by Judy Ai.

Not all Central Asian artists feel safe and free to share their creative visions today. I’ve met artists who printed their artworks on coffee mugs to show them to the world. And while bringing some artworks for the “News from Central Asia” to the US, I had to go through security control and make a presentation about the artwork that the border officers called “weird looking.” The hardest was to find and ship the work of the artist from Turkmenistan. The borders are closed and locally controlled DHL is the only connecting point. Even while shipping the artworks and through dealing with logistics, customs, and state authorities, one can read the news and feel the temperature of the region. 

IslBG
Work by Shailoo Djekshenbaev.

News From Central Asia is curated by Aida Sulova and presented by The Jewelry Library for NYC Jewelry Week.
The exhibition is on view November 15-21, 2021, 11am-7pm at The Jewelry Library, 1239 Broadway, Suite 500.

For more on the exhibition and to RSVP, click here. Follow curator Aida Sulova on Instagram @aidasulova. You can find more from The Jewelry Library on their website and Instagram @thejewelrylibrary.

Thanks to Aida Sulova for sharing insight into News From Central Asia with us. Text excerpted from press release and Curatorial Field Notes, both written by Aida Sulova. Images provided by Aida Sulova; image credits belong to the respective artists represented. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.