Herbert Hofmann awards at Schmuck 2014

It’s a little late, and you’re likely to know this already …
The winners of the Herbert Hofmann Award at Schmuck 2014 were announced on 15th March 2014.

• Iris Bodemer of Germany
  

  Iris Bodemer, Brooch Relief II, 2013, silver. Photo Iris Bodemer.

• Akihiro Ikeyama from Japan
  

  Akihiro Ikeyama, brooch Holey Holye Abnorm, 2013. Antlers, stainless steel, paint. Photo Akihiro Ikeyama

• Noon Passama from Japan, living in Holland
  
  

  Noon Passama, brooch Portrait Nr. 3, 2013, fur, leather, silver, gilt brass. Photo Noon Passama.

For more images, check out the online catalogue : it is super fantastic that this is available.

Many have written about Schmuck and Talente 2014: including this post by Naomi Rachel Muirhead and Art Aurea magazine.

Dates for next year have been announced : 11th – 15th March 2015.
Perhaps a trip is in order…

Herbert Hofmann awards at Schmuck 2013

It’s a little late, and you’re likely to know this already …
The winners of the Herbert Hofmann Award at Schmuck 2013 were announced on 9th March 2013.

• Robert Baines of Australia
  ‘Parrot’ – that´s the title of one of the works by Robert Baines. This is not the only piece of jewellery in which this Australian designer makes use of animal motifs. In his round and oval brooches Robert Baines plays with the depiction of animals ranging from serpents to teddy bears. In a humorous and ironic way, commented the jury, he hints at the forms of historic jewellery. Indeed, history is his point of departure for creating an expressive style of jewellery that is superbly executed and entirely his own.
  
  

  image from Gallery Loupe facebook page; click on image for original source

• Fumiki Taguchi of Japan
  The works of Fumiki Taguchi of Japan are reminiscent of medals and decorative marks of distinction – but only at first glance. According to the jury, Taguchi´s brooches inventively confront the cliché in Japan that the value of a work of jewellery is often based on the size and the quality of the gems. Fascinated by the forms of historic jewellery and medals, he turns away from the traditional employment of precious stones, creating instead a trompe l’oeil effect of diamonds in silver. The piece called ‘Expression of White’, for example, imitates the luminance of precious stones, confounding the eye. Taguchi´s very different approach certainly appealed to the jury.
• Helina Lehtinen of Finland
  The group of works by Helena Lehtinen of Finland consists of seven different pendants. The work with the title ‘Family’, a composition of simple, reduced forms such as bars and disks, has the character of a still life in which each part relates to the others. What stands out, too, is the quality of the craftsmanship. The jury were attracted to the “clear austerity of the individual form” and the “composition of the group in different materials and delicate colours”.

The above text is from the Handwerk & Design website announcement.

For more images, see this post by GioielloContemporaneo blog.
Also see this post by Bijou Contemporian blog.
And also this post by Amber.

Exhibitions that were…

A friend has asked which exhibitions I enjoyed most during 2009. What a fabulous question! I liked the idea of recalling the many exhibitions I’ve visited in Melbourne, and making some attempt to choose my favourite(s).

The “Archive Listing” page will provide the interested reader with all of the posts I’ve written, including the many exhibition reviews. While I won’t go through all of the ones I’ve visited, I’ll make special mention of a handful (in chronological order, just for fun) and why they caught my attention.

• Bettina Speckner @ Gallery Funaki, March 2009
  this was a wonderful collection; her detail on the back of the brooches in particular was captivating; the colouring and shapes somewhat evocative and quite nostalgic; just beautiful; this exhibition started a continuing love affair
• ‘The Fox and the Crow‘ @ Guildford Lane Gallery, March 2009
  I particularly enjoyed the combination of frail thin fabrics and metal adornments; the lighting and wall-projection made it most memorable
• ‘Dressed to Rule: Imperial Robes of China‘ @ NGV, May 2009
  while not jewellery-focussed, my love of embroidery on silk was sated here
• Natasha Dusenjko ‘Babel‘ @ Craft Vic, May 2009
  again, not a metal in sight; Natasha’s installation made such a strong impression on me, that I would very happily name it my favourite non-jewellery exhibition of the year
• ‘Schmuck 2009‘ @ RMIT Gallery, May 2009
  the month of May was generous to art-lovers indeed! regular readers will well know my enjoyment of this exhibition
• ‘It’s got legs‘ @ RMIT School of Art Gallery, September 2009
  the postgraduate show at RMIT was full of fabulous pieces
• Carlier Makigawa ‘October 2009‘ @ Gallery Funaki, October 2009
  the larger scale objects were incredibly beautiful and somehow sad (in a yearning and loving way) for me
• Marcos Davidson ‘The House of Hallmarcos‘ @ Until Never, November 2009
  the design of this exhibition is one all artists, regardless of media, should take note of

There were many others that were wonderful, but I cannot list them all! Also, there were many outstanding individual works within groups exhibitions too…

I’d love to hear from readers and regular exhibition visitors – what was your favourite exhibition in 2009?

‘Schmuck’ in the press, third time

Below is a clipping from the free ‘City Weekly’ magazine, 2nd July 2009.

It’s a shame that the images used beside the text are of pieces, though intriguing and on show as part of this exhibition, not actually by any of the 60 jewellers selected for ‘Schmuck 2009‘. Gerd Rothmann is one of the most significant elder-statesmen of modern jewellery, and some of his work is accompanying ‘Schmuck‘; and Eun Mi Chun is one of the Herbert-Hoffmann Prize winners from 2008. Beautiful images and lovely objects certainly, but I’d like to have seen images of some of the 2009-selected jewellers.

City Weekly, 2nd July 2009, p23

My previous stories on ‘Schmuck 2009‘ can be found by using the Search facility, or the category cloud, in the right column. ‘Schmuck 2009‘ is at RMIT Gallery until 18th July 2009.