A Look at Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins with Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz

Welcome to Day 5 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 exhibition every day this week. Check in each day for a new feature on the happenings at NYC Jewelry Week.

Today, we’re talking political jewelry with Rebecca Schena and Talia Spielholz, the creators of Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins, a lecture happening tomorrow. During the lecture, jewelry makers and researchers Talia & Rebecca will discuss the symbolism, utility, and history of political pins and their role in constructing an American political identity.
We spoke with Rebecca and Talia their interests in the political power of jewelry, and how their concept for the lecture took shape:

“The idea for Lapel Stories came from the unexpected convergent evolution of our individual research/making practices and, of course, from ✧･ﾟfriendshipﾟ:*. As researchers and makers of body adornment, we are interested in the sartorial presentations of political power and social identity we make each day. We are constantly intrigued and surprised by how subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) acts of adornment can lead to enormous shifts.
In the last few years, political pins have become a topic of increased debate in the United States. Many people, politically inclined or otherwise, use pins to display their opinions on popular and niche issues. With the constant deluge of social media transmissions and the amnesiac churning of the news cycle, political pins and other worn political messages have become increasingly visible. From performative safety pins to pronoun pins to “Black Lives Matter” t-shirts to the assortment of ideological insignias donned on January 6th: what we wear is as political as ever. Yet, coverage of dress and adornment in politics is often discussed in stark, black-and-white terms that consider “style” and “substance” mutually exclusive. As jewelers, who experience style and substance as intimately intertwined, we felt that it may be helpful to speak about how we think about political pins.

As worn objects, pins are a favorite of jewelers because of their ease of wear and their ability to convey billboard-style messaging. However, we thought it was important not to focus solely on art jewelry but to speak to the pin’s utilitarian roots as a readily producible and wearable method of display. From antiquity through the present and in societies worldwide, the desire to share experiences, build communities, and express personal identity through our worn objects has been constant.
We hope that this presentation will reflect the varied purposes of the political pin and its longevity throughout human history. We aim to help jewelry enthusiasts of all stripes place their personal experiences with political pins into their larger historical context.”
Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz

Talia Spielholz’s portion of the lecture will contextualize the contemporary political pin in the US within a broader global and historical framework. Using objects, portraits, and cartoons from different eras and cultures as examples, Talia will discuss the American political pin’s evolution from the Civil War era through to the present. She will underline how, through its utilitarian function, ease of wear, and material construction, the pin became an inseparable part of American political dress and democratic identity.

Rebecca Schena will discuss the communicative potential of adornment, with a focus on how political pins encourage discourse, display identity, unify communities, and project a public self-image. Using examples from the political theater, anti-establishment “guerrilla accessorizing” movements, and contemporary jewelry, Rebecca will demonstrate how costuming is used in the political sphere. She will address the role of political pins through the framework of symbolic interactionism and social psychology.

About the Speakers

Rebecca Schena is a Bay Area-based jeweler, writer, and aspiring maximalist. She holds a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing with a concentration in scientific inquiry from Rhode Island School of Design. Rebecca is interested in jewelry as a method of initiating political discourse and as a way of expressing, manipulating, or distorting social identity. She believes that a healthy dose of humor and blasphemy is necessary to invite us into approaching critical subject matter. In addition to her daily work as a bench jeweler, she is a contributor to Making Progress and Current Obsession Magazine.

Talia Spielholz is a current MA candidate in Costume Studies at NYU Steinhardt. She received her BFA in Jewelry + Metalsmithing from Rhode Island School of Design. Talia’s research focuses on the relationship between dress and power, specifically as it relates to gender. She is interested in how material choices construct identity and mythologies, the overlap between dress and jewelry, and the ability of worn objects to permeate culture, articulate identity, and bridge narratives. She is passionate about educational accessibility and aims to develop approachable jewelry and dress exhibitions.

Lapel Stories: America’s Political Pins with Talia Spielholz & Rebecca Schena will be livestreamed Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 2:30 PM- 3:30 PM. For more information on the virtual talk and to RSVP, click here.

Both Talia Spielholz and Rebecca Schena are members of NYC Jewelry Week’s One For The Future program, dedicated to uplifting recent graduates, self-starters, and emerging professionals who embody passion, dedication, and a commitment to jewelry. Learn more about the One For The Future program here.

Lecture description and quotes attributed to Rebecca Schena & Talia Spielholz. Text, quotes, and images provided by Rebecca Schena. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

November 17, 2021August 16, 2023

The Making of I AM MOTHERLAND with Kalkidan Hoex

Welcome to Day 3 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 bringing you an exclusive look at a brand new project, I AM MOTHERLAND, from multi-disciplinary artist Kalkidan Hoex, in preparation for an upcoming conversation between Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown, host of the Perceived Value Podcast. Today, Kalkidan is sharing the story behind I AM MOTHERLAND, stills from the new short film, and more. Keep reading to explore I AM MOTHERLAND and find out more about the upcoming conversation.

I am MOTHERLAND.

“I am MOTHERLAND.

The work I create is strongly linked to how I experience my mixed identity. As I was born in Ethiopia and adopted to the Netherlands. I find myself feeling like I lived in between two worlds. Where these two worlds overlap a third world was created. The objects I make are an expression of how I perceive my third world.

I want to show the realm where the blur of these two worlds exists, as together they create the portal to my third world. My third world creates a surrealistic place that conveys a feeling of culture that does not belong anywhere. Conveying through imagery is how I adapted, conscious and unconscious to both cultures.

I use the in-between world to comprehend my reality and create the illusion that I know where I belong. It serves as my safe space and coping mechanism for the mental fractures endured. I AM MOTHERLAND is about how I ground myself. Motherland is an entity I carry within. Where I find my sense of mother. This world is deeply rooted in representational power and symbolic meaning.”
Kalkidan Hoex on I AM MOTHERLAND

Watch the Trailer for I am Motherland:

I AM MOTHERLAND with Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown

About the Speakers:

The discussion between Kalkidan Hoex & Sarah Rachel Brown will take place on Sunday, November 21, 2021 from 12:30 PM- 1:30 PM. Learn more about Kalkidan & Sarah below.

Kalkidan Hoex was adopted from Ethiopia and brought up in the Netherlands. In her multi-disciplinary work Hoex examines the pervasive feeling of living between two worlds that has followed her for most of her life. The work speaks directly to those she considers a part of her own identity: youth of mixed descent, who were adopted out of their country or origin or had to flee with their families from their birthplace. Despite the differences in backgrounds and upbringing, she feels that they share common interests and viewpoints.

Sarah Rachel Brown is a contemporary jeweler, facilitator, and podcaster. She is the host and producer of Perceived Value, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA where she holds down a full-time day job and hustles as a contemporary jeweler on her nights and weekends.

To see more of Kalkidan Hoex’s work, visit her website, The New Tribe and follow her on Instagram @_____k.t.h._____.

To join us for the conversation on Sunday, November 21, 2021 from 12:30 PM- 1:30 PM, RSVP here. The conversation will be live streamed on YouTube, and RSVP is required to access the livestream. Remember to subscribe to NYCJW’s YouTube channel for access to all our content.

Artist statement, film stills and I AM MOTHERLAND trailer courtesy of Kalkidan Hoex. Photography by Mitch van Schijndel. Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

November 16, 2021August 16, 2023

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.

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.

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.

October 14, 2021August 16, 2023

Ishtar Adorned: Embedded Power in Ancient Mesopotamian Jewelry

Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi in Conversation with Dr. Kim Benzel, Curator in Charge of the Ancient Near Eastern Art Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Today, we’re taking a deep dive into the Power of Jewelry from an ancient perspective, with guest contributor Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi. In a conversation for the podcast Ishtar Diaries (© The Trustees of Columbia University), Laleh discusses the beauty and multi-dimensional meaning of ancient Mesopotamian jewelry customs with Dr. Kim Benzel, Curator in Charge of the Ancient Near Eastern Art Department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Before we get into their conversation, let’s learn more about Laleh & Dr. Benzel:

Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi is a graduate student in Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University studying the arts of ancient West Asia and currently completing a Masters thesis. Her area of interest and research is in ancient forms of bodily ornamentation. Her passion for jewelry is rooted in her family history, Laleh comes from a multi-generational family of jewelers and watch dealers.

In her studies, she repeatedly encounters the theme of layered meanings embedded in ancient jewelry. Ancient jewelry pieces, beyond objects of mere external beauty, carry a multitude of enmeshed meanings: in the materials chosen, the colors, shapes and forms, the iconography displayed, as well as in the techniques of making. In this sense the study of ancient jewelry is akin to an investigation into embedded messages hidden beneath the superficial layers. This is a topic that Dr. Kim Benzel, Curator in Charge of the Ancient Near Eastern Art department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art knows very well. A scholar of ancient West Asia, an expert on ancient jewelry and a goldsmith herself, Dr. Benzel has written extensively on the inherent power and meanings embedded in the materials that make the exceptional jewelry pieces of the ancient world.

Image Above: *Dr. Kim Benzel (Left) and Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi (Right)*

For a podcast episode produced by Columbia University, Laleh had the opportunity to explore this subject further in conversation with Dr. Benzel. Through an intimate knowledge of materials and techniques, Dr. Benzel shares invaluable information about what it is that made jewelry so meaningful in ancient West Asia.
The following are transcribed excerpts from the interview, which is available to listen in its entirety as a podcast
episode entitled Ishtar Adorned.

Image Above: This exquisite assemblage of dangling gold leaves with carnelian and lapis lazuli beads made in the 3rd millennium BCE was found at one of the tombs of the Royal Cemetery of Ur and would have been meant to be worn as a headdress. An identical headdress adorned the forehead of Puabi. (Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, image credit www.metmuseum.org)

LALEH JAVAHERI-SAATCHI: Jewelry in ancient Mesopotamia was so much more than mere bodily decoration. We know from textual sources that materials, namely stones and metals such as lapis lazuli, carnelian, gold, or silver, were valued for their special inherent attributes, providing the wearer with protective and healing qualities. In addition, the manipulation of materials allows for yet another level of meaning. Can you speak to us a bit about the importance of the process of making and of meanings in materials?
DR. KIM BENZEL: In my writings what I focus on is not the making in isolation, it is really the chain of activation that starts with the materials. We know from textual sources that all the materials were very important, not only for outward qualities but for inner properties.
Gold for example is charged, not just because it is beautiful, but it is still listed today as among the noble metals because it is so pure and does not tarnish. In the ancient world gold was also given a special status, it was conceived as related to the divine from the very beginning. Its properties of not tarnishing, immutability, purity and shine were all aspects of Mesopotamian aesthetics that were highly valued and that were also equated with the divine. With gold, you have this material that we as humans from antiquity on have perceived as a pure material. There are all these rituals in ancient Mesopotamia that require human manipulation and intervention, gold does not need that. The material is already charged, and only then you add the craftsman or the jeweler. I would argue that in some of the jewelry that was made, especially the jewelry that is made for cult statues and is intimately associated with the divine, the making or manufacturing aspect is in many cases meant to erase the hand of the maker. It goes to this biblical tradition, and this is where it comes from, of a mortal cannot make things that are associated with the divine. There is anecdotal textual evidence that illustrates aspects of that. With the jewelry of Puabi, from The Royal Cemetery at Ur, which I was able to study up-close, what was really evident there was the process of not using solder, which they did have, but using pieces of gold and repeating a very labor-intensive process of heating and hammering, so as not to cut or solder and keep the gold pieces intact and seamless making it hard to perceive that there was a hand behind it. This exceedingly labor-intensive method was another way of activating the divine. It is this ritualized chain of activation from materials to making that in some way removes the hand of the maker. It is very prescribed and rarely does it vary. It just seems to me that the ritual prescription of how to make something was not only to create beauty, but for the expressed purpose of activating the next step, and in my opinion in Ur to activate those dead bodies to become perhaps divine in death or appear divine in death.
Ancient Mesopotamia refers to a region in West Asia that would have occupied modern day Iraq and parts of Iran, Turkey and Syria. The term refers to the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Puabi is the name of a Mesopotamian woman of high status from the 3^rd millennium BCE whose rich burial was uncovered at the Royal Cemetery of Ur.
The Royal Cemetery at Ur refers to a group of burials excavated at the site of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur (modern day Tell al-Muqayyar in Iraq), these burials were particularly rich in their contents thus believed to have belonged to the highest echelon of the elite of the time.

“It is that chain of activation that makes the jewelry particularly agentive; it has agency to do something to its wearer. In its totality once it is on the body, it does something to the body and my argument would be that it creates the semblance of the divine.”
Dr. Kim Benzel, from “Ishtar Adorned”, Ishtar Diaries podcast series.*

LALEH JAVAHERI-SAATCHI: On representations on Mesopotamian cylinder seals of the goddess Ishtar, we see the goddess wearing bracelets, necklaces, or the cross halter she is often seen adorned with. And in the textual sources we see her adorning herself with special stones such as lapis lazuli and carnelian before going into battle or before any great transformative event. Dr. Benzel, we understand why humans need this extra layer of protection, but why do gods?
Ishtar is the great Mesopotamian goddess of love and war.

DR. KIM BENZEL: [As mentioned before], the ultimate purpose of this chain of activation from materials to making and then adorning was to do something to the body. In the case of some jewelry produced in ancient Mesopotamia, it was intimately and directly involved with the divine. Much of the jewelry we know from ancient texts was made specifically to adorn cult statues of gods and goddesses, and as such they were the belongings of those gods and goddesses. We do not have many of these cult statues that have survived, presumably because the bodies of the statues were generally made of wood, they were then literally dressed in fine linen and jewelry and cared for like a biological deity. But on that assumption, that jewelry was not just only adorning the divine, it was an essential part of creating that divine image.

“That divine image was likely not divine until it had all its other dressings and adornments.”
Dr. Kim Benzel, from “Ishtar Adorned”, Ishtar Diaries podcast series.*

DR. KIM BENZEL: In terms of Ishtar, I would say that it is not so much why the gods needed the protection, but it is actually an essential part of being divine for Ishtar. There is no more persuasive argument for that than the very famous text that is titled The Descent of Ishtar. In short, Ishtar is going down to retrieve her lover from the underworld where her sister rules, and on her way down in order to enter the underworld she is required to take off one of her pieces of jewelry at each level as she descends. And when she gets to the bottom all her jewelry is off and it is at this point that we presume she is deactivated, she is no longer in possession of her power and no longer a threat to her sister, the queen of the underworld; and when she returns back up, she gets her jewelry back. And it is all those same pieces of jewelry, the bracelets and the anklets, the head jewelry, and the cross halter.

Image Above: A pair of gold earrings from the Royal Cemetery of the Mesopotamian city of Ur (modern day Tell al-Muqayyar in Iraq). These ornaments made in the 3rd millennium BCE were made from two pieces of thinly worked gold sheet shaped by the goldsmith into hallowed crescents. Other examples of these lunate style earrings were found in the Royal Cemetery of Ur and Puabi was found adorned with a similar oversized pair. (Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, image credit www.metmuseum.org)

“What is very clear is that the jewelry is her power in this text. And so why do gods need it because it is part of their power where we humans need it as a layer of protection.“
Dr. Kim Benzel, from “Ishtar Adorned”, Ishtar Diaries podcast series.*

DR. KIM BENZEL: There are also many other examples from Mesopotamia of rituals [involving jewelry]. There is a text from the site of Mari where it is the jewelry of Ishtar that is displayed and worshipped in its own right. If something has been on a body and has been in contact, sort of this idea of contagion, is it imbued with the same power as the biological deity itself?
Mari is an important ancient Mesopotamian city which would have been located in present day Syria.

There are so many ways of manifesting and representing the divine in ancient Mesopotamia. The fact that this jewelry presumably had touched Ishtar, made it a substitute or a surrogate for Ishtar, as powerful and as imbued with this much agency as the goddess herself. There are also from the 3^rd millennium BCE to the 1^st millennium BCE many curses in burials warning about jewelry being taken off the body. The jewelry is specifically called out. So it is a very charged category of object in the ancient world, much more so than the agency that we assign today to stones or particular metals with healing or protective properties or particular jewelry pieces we are attached to. It’s on a whole other level in the ancient world.

*Copyright: Dr. Kim Benzel, from “Ishtar Adorned”, Ishtar Diaries podcast series. Podcast produced by graduate students at the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University and Columbia Global Centers | Istanbul, and led by Zainab Bahrani, Edith Porada Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Art & Archaeology. © The Trustees of Columbia University

For more on this topic, you can listen to the full conversation from Ishtar Adorned episode of the Ishtar Diaries podcast series here.
You can follow Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi on Instagram @the_body_ornamented, and learn more about Dr. Kim Benzel here.

Thanks to Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi for sharing excerpts of her conversation with Dr. Kim Benzel with us. Interview transcript adapted for print by Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi; adapted from “Ishtar Adorned”, Ishtar Diaries podcast series, produced by graduate students at the Department of Art History and Archaeology at Columbia University and Columbia Global Centers
(© The Trustees of Columbia University).

Images provided by Laleh Javaheri-Saatchi, via the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art: www.metmuseum.org.

Feature edited and compiled by Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews.

September 9, 2021August 16, 2023

How They Wear It: Suchi Reddy

On Future Heirloom, the Power of Jewelry is central: we want to celebrate jewelry and jewelry stories in all forms—including the infinite, unique ways jewelry is worn, and what that says about the wearer. Today, we’re kicking off a new series on exactly that: How They Wear It. How They Wear It will spotlight people from around the globe, of diverse professions and backgrounds, and talk to them about how they use jewelry to express themselves.

Our debut How They Wear It features Suchi Reddy, an Indian architect and artist based in New York. We talked to Suchi about her jewelry collecting habits, what she looks for in an accessory, what pieces are most special to her, and more. Explore the world of jewelry with us.

Future Heirloom: Who are you?
Suchi Reddy: I am Suchi Reddy, I’m an architect /artist originally from Chennai, India, but now a long time New Yorker.

FH: When did you start wearing and collecting jewelry?
SR: I am a tale of paradoxes. Growing up in India, where jewelry is not just an obsession, but a heritage, I was not into it at all, except for appreciating it aesthetically.
Its position as a status symbol in our culture was not one that I really wanted to engage with. In fact, I did not wear much jewelry until I was in my thirties, and a practicing architect here in New York. I began collecting jewelry, but this time around it was my love of innovative materials that drove me to find and wear unique pieces.

FH: How do you wear your jewelry?
SR: I have been told that I dress like an architect and accessorize like a designer! I wear my jewelry usually as the star of the show.

FH: Who is your greatest jewelry or style inspiration?
SR: That is a tough question, I have so many… if I had to pick one I would return to my traditional roots: there is a Bollywood film called “Jodhaa Akbar,” about the most famous inter-religious marriage in Indian history, hen Emperor Akbar, a Muslim, married Princess Jodhaa, a Hindu. The jewelry in this film is exquisite!

FH: What are your go-to jewelry brands?
SR: Objet-a, a New York City-based brand By Tom Dunn and Olivier Pechou, is one of my go-to’s. I also love Pono.

FH: Do you see any trends that people should be aware of?
SR: In recent years, I have been impressed with how many men wear jewelry, especially bracelets. I think this is a huge trend.

FH: What is your favorite piece of jewelry?
SR: It is a necklace of black stones that I found in a vintage shop in Wisconsin many years ago.

FH: Any sentimental pieces / most memorable piece of jewelry?
SR: Anything my mother gave me has a special place in my heart and life, especially a chain of black and gold beads that she gave me.

Thanks to Suchi Reddy for sharing How She Wears It. Connect with Suchi and her company Reddymade Architecture and Design here.

Text, quotes, and images provided by Suchi Reddy, edited by Jackie Andrews and JB Jones.

September 9, 2021August 16, 2023

On Being Unapologetically You: Fifi the Queer Icon

by Jackie Andrews

Last week, Future Heirloom Editor Jackie Andrews introduced our new platform in our first Letter From The Editor. This week, you’ll get to know Jackie through the lens of their childhood alter-ego, Fifi, and learn about how this colorful childhood character has influenced their fashion sense and penchant for dramatic accessories, their career, and most importantly, who they are today. Get out your feather boas and get ready to play dress-up.

I was born a maximalist. From a very young age, I loved playing dress up, and I always gleefully piled on as many scarves, feather boas, jewelry, tiaras, and sparkly hats as I could—typically several at once. The concept of moderation was completely lost on me. In my toddler years, I would put together these maximal ensembles, and demand to be my older sister’s hairstylist. Over time, this particular persona of mine was dubbed “Fifi” by my mother, and even today is still cited as one of her favorite memories of my childhood self. Fifi is immortalized in a frame in my parents living room, but has spent the better part of the past two decades of my life relegated to a distant memory, dormant in the recesses of my mind.

Fifi was more a part of me than I knew. Echoes of their unapologetic, fabulous flair are a common thread in so many of my fashion phases, large and small. There was one year in elementary school that was defined by a large collection of oversized silk flower brooches and hairclips (think a slightly more restrained clown flower), in every color of the rainbow and a variety of shades that were paired, without fail, with every outfit I wore. In middle school I discovered my mom’s collection of richly patterned silk scarves from her years of working in Manhattan, and I enthusiastically styled them as ascots or belts on a daily basis (admittedly with mixed success). In high school I sewed my old Girl Scout patches all over a pair of jeans, which then spilled over onto a jean jacket; I didn’t hesitate to wear them together, Canadian-tuxedo style, and I even hung the pants in my AP art show senior year. I wore all-over patterns and power-clashed well before it was cool, had a lipstick shade for every occasion, doodled on my face with eyeliner, and used Vaseline to glitter my eyebrows. Fifi watched over every one of these sartorial decisions like a fairy godparent, even when I didn’t recognize them there.

I came out a little over four years ago, and have undergone many evolutions of self in that time; I’m sure many more are to come. But one thing is certain: my quintessential style spoke for me even when I didn’t have the language to describe the way I experienced the world, and that instinct has only gotten stronger in me. On any given day, you can find me wearing “too many” types of floral patterns at once, layering my growing collection of sequined garments together, donning platform sneakers in neons and patterns, and accessorizing with abandon. (Most notably, frequently following my own self-imposed rule of looking in the mirror and then putting on at least two additional pieces of jewelry.) These instincts were paralleled in my studio practice as well: as I progressed through art school, glitter and sequins became an increasingly important material in my work, despite (and indignantly, in spite of) the disdain the art world historically has had for it. That inclination toward glitter-encrusted surfaces was always something that my inner child called out for, and I finally learned how to listen.

As my work and my wardrobe got increasingly bold and outspokenly queer, my list of style icons did as well, including people like Harris Reed, Demi Lovato, Alok Vaid-Menon, Sam Smith, Billy Porter, Iris Apfel, ABBA, and of course—Elton John. In recent years, I’ve also had the honor of being told on more than one occasion that I had the vibe of a “lesbian Elton John,” a high compliment that I will surely wear as a badge of honor for decades to come—it might even make an appearance on my gravestone. But a couple months ago, something within me inexplicably brought Fifi to the forefront of my mind.

It suddenly became very clear to me that while all of these experiences and role models had certainly shaped me, my true queer icon has always been Fifi. Discovering my true self and learning to embrace my identity fully has meant years of slowly returning to that unapologetic, young self. Fifi would certainly admire the person I am today, and I’m lucky that I’m finding my way back to that inner child, one head-to-toe sequin ‘fit at a time.

Written and illustrated by Jackie Andrews.
Illustrated using images of Fifi and Jackie Andrews throughout childhood and adolescence, wearing many of the garments and accessories mentioned above.

September 1, 2021August 16, 2023

From the desk of: Caroline Ervin

In From The Desk Of we’ll get the inside scoop on what’s inspiring some of our favorite jewelry personalities, influencers, historians, and experts. We’re kicking things off with Caroline Ervin, gemologist, consultant, educator, and jewelry media personality extraordinaire. With a foundation in Art History and a background in the auction industry, Caroline’s expertise and perspective on jewelry and business is multifaceted to say the least. Today, we’ll talk with Caroline about a little something that’s on her jewelry wishlist.

But first, here’s a bit more about Caroline:

Growing up in New England, Caroline Ervin formed an early appreciation for art and antiques, while attending local auctions with her grandparents. After studying Art History Colorado College, Caroline worked at various auction houses, always fascinated by the excitement and intensity of this transparent form of selling. She realized that jewelry was the specialty area where she belonged after witnessing the historic auction of Elizabeth Taylor’s jewelry while working in a support department at Christie’s. Caroline then began working toward her Graduate Gemologist degree at the GIA, and landed a job in the renowned Christie’s Jewelry Department. Rising the ranks from a cataloguer to a Specialist and Associate Vice President at Christie’s, Caroline also became an auctioneer for the company, selling everything from multi-million dollar contemporary paintings to space memorabilia, and presiding over such landmark auctions as The Collection of Lee Bouvier Radziwill and The David Gilmour Guitar Auction. Caroline left Christie’s in June 2021 to focus on developing her own business. She is a jewelry media personality, gemologist, consultant, and educator and shares her favorite jewels, from the antique to the contemporary, via her Instagram page.

And now from Caroline’s Desk:

Want to know one thing on my jewelry collection wishlist?! A ‘Ludo’ jewel by Van Cleef & Arpels!

Van Cleef & Arpels first introduced their signature ‘Ludo’ bracelet in 1934, under the supervision of Renee Puissant, Alfred Van Cleef’s daughter. Artistic director of the company from 1926 – 1942, she collaborated closely with the talented designer René-Sim Lacaze, and together this team was to exercise a great influence over the style of creations made between the two World Wars. Successful since its inception, the ‘Ludo’ model went on to become one of the quintessential hallmarks of post-war production. The best-known and iconic version consisted of a mosaic arrangement of articulated hexagons in polished metal, referred to as the ‘à ruche’ or ‘beehive’ pattern, with a precious stone at the center of each plaque in a ‘serti etoile’ or ‘star’ setting.

Shown above: retro sapphire and diamond “Ludo Hexagone” bracelet. Circa 1936, it features old and calibré-cut sapphires, old and single-cut diamonds.

This sweet Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Ludo’ jewel, a clip-brooch, shown above and below, features over 90 diamonds, approximately 4 carats, set in 18k yellow gold. Circa 1935.

Thanks to Caroline Ervin for sharing items from her jewelry wishlist with us. Want more? Join our mailing list to be alerted when new content drops and find Caroline on the daily @thecarolineervin.

Text by Caroline Ervin. Photos and image details courtesy of Christie’s. Video courtesy of Caroline Ervin. Introduced and edited by Jackie Andrews.

September 1, 2021August 16, 2023

The Anatomy of an Indian Bridal Trousseau

We’re excited to share an incredible behind-the-scenes look at the ceremonies, traditions, and jewelry of an Indian-Catholic Wedding, with Tania Kottoor. Tania gave us insight into the designing and planning process of her own wedding in Antigua, Guatemala. This feature includes a combination of Tania’s own writing and her responses to some of our interview questions, diving deeper into some of her choices, paired with stunning images from the ceremonies. We hope you enjoy Tania’s story.

Mylanchi Day

Mylanchi Day, also know as Henna Night, is about the Beautification of the Bride.

The Bride’s first Mylanchi outfit features Moti jewelry with clusters of tiny ivory pearls riveted in plated gold. The staple Kerala jhumkas, maang-tika, bracelets, nose ring and anklets were hand-selected to complete the regal look.

Photo above and below by Joseph Nance + Franco Giomi

All of the pieces for this look are from Mahira Jewels, except for the bangles, which were sourced from markets throughout Delhi.

Future Heirloom: Why is jewelry such a significant part of the wedding ceremonies?

Tania Kottoor: The jewelry that you buy your daughter for her wedding day goes to her and her future household. They’re investment pieces that turn into treasured family heirlooms.

Outfit 2 for Mylanchi Day shown above. Each gold-washed metal ear cuff has five dangling strings adorned with semi precious sapphire stones, as well as crystals at the end of each string. This was a custom piece by Mahira Jewels, detail shots are below.

FH: Could you give us some insight into your personal feelings about the jewelry? Why was it important to you to select what you did?

TK: For the first Mylanchi outfit, the clustering of the pearls was a very specific design from South India and it was very difficult to source in North India. It took me days and days to find exactly what I wanted, but I wanted to make sure my entire outfit evoked my South-Indian heritage. For the second Mylanchi outfit, it was more of a contemporary design to reflect my personal style. I like to play with feminine and androgynous silhouettes. The second outfit along with the ear cuffs reflected that juxtaposition.

Knanaya Catholic Ceremony

Photo by Daniel Lopez Perez + Thomas Brodtmann

For the Knanaya Catholic Ceremony, the Bride wore natural Colombian emeralds in the form of drop earrings and a ring. Both were custom-designed in Brooklyn, NY at Emerald Gem Exchange with owner Siva Muthiah. The creation of these pieces took about six months. The Bride selected the stones from various sourced emeralds and approved the final mold before the ring was created.

For the ring, a 4.36 carat natural Colombian emerald cut emerald was set into a sculptural platinum band that curves around the emerald center stone, surrounded by VS diamond melee. The drop earrings worn by the Bride are natural emerald cut Colombian emeralds, 2.69 carat fused with 18K white gold and surrounded by VS diamonds.

FH: In South Asian culture, do brides typically seek out custom jewelry for the wedding, or were you looking to create more unique looks?

TK: Normally brides go to a jewelry store to try on jewelry and see what best suits them and their overall look. Since it’s such a huge expense, jewelry shopping is typically a family affair. At times, jewelry is gifted by the in-laws. Customization is an extension of someone’s personality and I wanted that to be shown through every aspect of the wedding. I took time to conceptualize and design mood boards and sketches of 75 outfits and 6 jewelry pieces. I truly believe bespoke services are the future.

Photos by Daniel Lopez Perez + Thomas Brodtmann

Emerald is known as “The Royal Gem,” to the Maharajas (Kings) and Maharanis (Queens) of India, where jewels are an important part of the nation’s history. The Mughal Emperors who ruled India, meticulously carved Emerald stones for settings into rings, turban ornaments, heavy bib necklaces, and encrusted the handle of daggers. The Vedic scriptures of India associate the emerald with marriage and hope. Emerald is also the symbol of love and fidelity, as well as a powerful emotive symbol of status and power.

During the Knanaya Catholic Ceremony, Tania’s husband ties a Thaali, a pendant with a cross, a symbol of Christianity, on a gold medallion shaped like a heart, shown above and below.

TK: The cross on the Thaali is made with 21 minute buds. My mother-in-law bought it during her trip to Kerala, India. I requested white gold pendant with 21 diamonds. After the wedding, I added the Thaali to a very thin platinum chain for everyday wear.

The number 21 is the result of 3X7 = the trinity (the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit) + seven sacraments. The threads to tie the Thaali around my neck are taken from the “Manthrakodi (silk sari).” Seven pieces of threads are taken and they are folded into three. This signifies three persons of the trinity and seven sacraments. The husband ties the thaali on the neck of the bride. This kind of knot is known as male knot (Aankettu) symbolizing the stability of marriage. The Thaali is considered to be the most prestigious token of love offered to her by her husband during the ceremony.

Knanaya Catholic Reception

For the Reception, the Bride wore 22 karat yellow gold from ear to wrist. A carved “Rose” set which included a choker necklace, ear studs, and a bracelet. The set, seen below, was hand-crafted in Raipur, India by local artisans. These pieces took about three months to create, due to its intricacy.

FH: We know you followed the custom of “Something borrowed, something blue…” when selecting your jeweler. Tell us more!

TK: I followed the emerald route for my “Something New,” which consisted of emerald drop earrings plus a gold choker, studs and a bracelet. The “Something Blue,” would be the sapphire beaded ear cuffs. My “Something Borrowed” was my grandma’s marquise ruby ring, which was partnered with my mother’s wedding sari that I had repurposed into a strapless gown. This was so important to me, because it connected 3 generations of women in one look.

Shown below: “something borrowed,” a marquise ruby ring from the Bride’s grandmother.

Our sincere thanks to Tania Kottoor for sharing this stunning jewelry story with us and congrats on your nuptials! Please visit Tania’s website here.

Text, quotes, and images provided by Tania Kottoor, edited by Jackie Andrews.