The place of the image in the jewel

Sep 27, 2018

Until 20 October 2018, the Galerie La Joaillerie par Mazlo and the Association Arketip are organising the exhibition “The genius of images”, an event that questions the place of the image in contemporary jewellery. But not only that!

jana machatova, images

“EINE UNAUFMERSAME SCHULERIN”, Brooch, 2012. Love is Love series. Silver, paper in laminated plastic, gold leaf, beads. Photo: Jana Machatova for Galerie La Joaillerie par Mazlo

The presence of images in jewellery has often been associated with mourning, remembrance and – sometimes – hope. For example, in the case of medallions worn by women during the wars and containing a photo of a brother, husband, cousin or son who has left for the front. But must the image necessarily be associated with such mournful thoughts? No, because the image is a vector of innumerable possibilities and can be the bearer of many stories, provided that its context is known and can be reconstructed. But when this is not possible? Like old photos that have no names, places or exact dates and the memory associated with them has been lost forever. What remains is the possibility of imagining and recreating one or more stories. The door is then open to narration. This is the starting point of this very beautiful and exciting exhibition.

claire lavendhomme, images

“VENUS, Pendant, 2012-13. Silver, resin, photo. Photo: Claire Lavendhomme for Galerie La Joaillerie par Mazlo

The seventeen artists in this lovely event – including Zoé Arnold, Carla Garcia Durlan, Robin Kranitzky and Kim Overstreet, Jana Machatova, Iris Nieuwenburg, Nanna Obel and, of course, the surrealist Coco Fronsac – all practice, to varying degrees, the art of recycling and assembling various elements which, once combined, allow them to give free rein to figurative and narrative pieces. At the heart of the selected jewels, photography occupies an important place but it is also associated with engraving, enamel, painting and drawing. The aim is to answer the question of understanding the place that we give to visual representation nowadays. Images are everywhere today and we consume them en masse. As soon as they are made, they are almost forgotten. This could sum up our frenzy of images and photos that we take and share through all the modern means available to us. And yet, in all this, some images remain. Because they are important, happy, touching, harsh or even shocking. And sometimes simply because they are aesthetically strong and impose themselves on our visual memory. It is precisely this “proper genius” of the image, and more particularly of photography, that the author Roland Barthes questioned in 1979 in his book “La Chambre Claire”. It is also this allusion that guided the title of the exhibition.

zoe arnold, images

“THINKING EARRINGS, Earrings. Agates, white enamel on silver and yellow gold 750 ‰. Collage on antique photograph. Photo: Zoe Arnold for La Joaillerie Gallery by Mazlo

Next comes the genius of the assemblage and the poetry that will escape from the pieces. The representations here are integrated into a process of elaboration specific to each artist. It is up to us, the spectators, to appropriate the artists’ narrative, to understand the process and, if we feel like it, to decode the mystery by letting ourselves be carried away in the magic of a narrative of which only the artist knows all the subtleties.

nana obel, images

“A DISEASE WORSE THAN ALCOHOL”. Brooch. Gold, silver, photo, enamel, silk thread. Photo: Nana Obel for Galerie La Joaillerie by Mazlo

This exhibition is intended to be a real perpetual interrogation. Through the various showcases and the dialogue between the pieces, you will discover that you can make an image and, more broadly, a representation say whatever you want. It is up to you to grasp the memory, the philosophical message or – on the contrary – the simple artistic and figurative approach. A whole programme, exciting, not to be missed.

See you soon!

*****

“The genius of images” Until 20 October 2018

La Joaillerie Gallery by Mazlo

Tuesday to Friday from 2 to 7 pm

Saturday from 11am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7pm

ABOUT ME

marie chabrol

Hello my name Is Marie. Speaker, consultant & teacher, I write with passion about the world of jewelry.

my ideal library

This is my ideal library. All these books are part of my own library and I always read them with great pleasure.