Transforming Brilliance
07-Oct-2011
Level 6 BA (Hons) Jewellery and Silversmithing students showcase their work in a one-of-a-kind collaborative exhibition with SENA Goldsmiths School and The Gold Museum of Bogotá Colombia.
'Transforming Brilliance' is a collaborative jewellery project conceived by Colombian artist Olga Parra Benavides between students at the School of Jewellery, SENA Goldsmiths School in Bogotá Colombia and The Gold Museum in Bogotá Colombia. The students from both universities were asked to develop contemporary jewellery pieces using the collections at The Gold Museum as a starting point.
Inspired by the pre-Hispanic gold which was used in ceremonies to transform Shamans into animals in order to speak to the spirit world, the students identified a modern day ritual and were asked the question, what is their gold? They sought to find the connection between the wearer, the maker and the viewer highlighted by the Shamans’ use of gold.
Project developer and visiting lecturer Mikaela Lyons says
“The experience of ‘Transforming Brilliance’ was rich on so many levels. The subject of Shamanism in itself is fascinating and the engagement that the Shamans had with objects and the transformation they underwent seen through the collections at The Gold Museum was key to the project. The students were conceptually challenged: after identifying their contemporary ritual they had to think how their object would transform (physically or metaphorically) and how it would connect the wearer, the maker and the viewer.
The project bought together two schools of students who have very different cultures, yet the similarities in the chosen rituals were remarkable. The students were able to share ideas and offer advice across continents through a forum, enhancing their learning experience and opening up new relationships which was a pleasure to witness.”
After a successful exhibition in Colombia in June, the work will be exhibited in the atrium at The School of Jewellery from the 18th to the 28th of October.
Private view: 6pm - 8pm Thursday 20th October 2011 with a special performance commencing at 6:30pm
Link to the exhibition at the gold museum in Bogotá Colombia: