‘Wondernamel’ @ RMIT First Site Gallery

“Wondernamel is an invented word to echo the wonder of enamel. This exhibition presents a selection of jewellery and objects from artists at RMIT Gold and Silversmithing working with enamel and it reflects the colour and intensity of the practice of enamelling.”

I was not permitted to take photographs this time; the below image is from the RMIT First Site website.

image from exhibition media; Marcos Guzman

I was impressed with the diversity and innovative settings of some of the pieces, especially given this is the work of artists still in their early development. The above brooches by Marcos Guzman are very well resolved, with settings inlaid into acrylic; bringing some modernity to a long-lived medium.

Other work worth particular mention include:

• Cath Da Costa, ‘Interstellar Souvenir’ and ‘Elsewhere’ series: the use of emery paper is striking, and again the settings are well resolved;
• Courtney Jackson, ‘Extinct’ series: there seems to me a reference to Julia de Ville in the colouring and subject matter, and I liked the use of a traditionally ‘pretty’ artform to portray skeletons;
• Roxanne Watts, ‘Flight’ and ‘Crow’: the setting in Bakelite is innovative and appealing;
• Colly Lu, ‘Untitled’ series: the enamelling is beautiful, painterly and evocative, with the cloisonne evoking soft movement.

Other artists participating: Corin Adams, Evelyn Liong, Bin Dixon-Ward, Naoko Inuzuka, Suzi Kyriakidis, Victoria Mathews, Allona Goren, Claire McCardle, Alysha Batliwalla, Sarah Fletcher, Inari Kiuru.

The presentation, with each individual shelf’s work identified by a handwritten paper label, is reminiscent of a ‘wunderkammer‘ – a connection that is not coincidental, as described here in a writing about the first show in this series in 2007.

The exhibition is on until 28th March 2009.