This summer, Karin Roy Andersson offers an inspiring exposé of Nordic jewelry art with two exhibitions at Nääs Konsthantverk and Nääs Fabriker respectively. All invited artists, except Sigurd Bronger, have in common that their jewelery is large and therefore also function as artistic objects. Sometimes even prefer the latter unless the wearer is broad-shouldered, tall and dressed in black. In other words, the signal value and physical presence of jewelery is great.
With a golden edge is an airily staged, traditional exposé of five current expressions in Nordic jewelry art at Nääs Konsthantverk.
Helen Clara Hensley creates dialogic jewelry that gives the impression of DIY (do it yourself) and reuse. The large breast ornament "I/you: Don't leave me alone" is reminiscent of an old-fashioned coat of arms and is based on a slightly naive embroidered dishtowel, braided yarn, and two cartoon images of identical faces.
The Norwegian Heide Sand creates large organic necklaces in thin brass sheet with colored parts in laminate technology. I am immediately amused by her subtle, slightly surreal work "Vanity", which consists of a pink mirror firmly grasped by the loose nails of her left hand.
Elin Flognman works in the exact opposite direction by creating conceptual jewelry with earthy names such as "Potato" and "Dishko". The intricate "Hungry" necklace, which consists of a curved fork with a counterweight spoon, is one of the exhibition's most spectacular. The question is how easy it is to carry considering its well-proportioned size. That particular contrast is great if you compare them to Sigurd Bronger's whimsical little brooches and necklaces, which are also created in a similar conceptual spirit.
In contrast to Flognman's environmental awareness, Bronger's jewelry is made in traditional materials such as steel, leather and gold-plated brass. They are also sometimes characterized by a twisted tradition of invention, which is illustrated here by the pendant "Carrying device for 500 spheres".
Dane Anette Dam stands for the least philosophically complicated jewellery. Rather, she writes, they came about during a period of frustrated creation and experimentation with traditional techniques and materials. Their sensual forms are achieved through unexpected combinations of, for example, precious stones, plastic and silk ribbons. They make me very fond, actually.