London—Jewelry writer and curator Melanie Grant is delivering quite the action-packed season for jewelry fans, and across continents at that.
Fresh off curating the Sotheby’s New York “Brilliant & Black: A Jewelry Renaissance” sale, which featured works from Black jewelry designers from the mid-19th century to today, Grant has curated a new jewelry exhibition debuting in London next week.
It will feature close to 40 pieces of jewelry that interpret naturalism.
The exhibition seeks to erase boundaries between jewelry and other art forms, featuring works from traditional jewelry designers like Bibi van der Velden, James Taffin de Givenchy, Lydia Courteille, and Wallace Chan, alongside jewels from artists known for other mediums, such as Ai Weiwei and Frank Stella.
Further blurring the lines, Grant herself has a jewel in the sale, marking her debut.
These rings from China’s most famous artist, Ai Weiwei, explore the concept of migration.
“The combination of artists Melanie has brought together signifies her determination to break down barriers between jewelry and fine art. It is a mission I share,” said Elisabetta Cipriani, owner and founder of The Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery.
“Any artist should be free to work in any discipline, and the enormity of nature as inspiration dwarfs any argument to the contrary.”
The artists featured in “Force of Nature” interpret the theme in myriad ways.
Ai Weiwei’s “Ring W” deals with concerns about migration, while Lydia Courteille showcases her work’s incredible technicality and her eye for fine gemstones in “Salamander Brooch.”
Grant commented, “We have a lot of firsts in this show from a collective cast of creative geniuses being exhibited together working in materials such as tiger’s eye, carbon fiber, fossilized ammonite, red bronze, and anodized aluminum.”
“Alligator Bite Earrings” by Bibi van der Velden
The sale will commence Thursday, Nov. 18 with a private reception held in conjunction with Serpentine Galleries.
Pieces will be available to purchase by private appointment at The Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery or over the phone until Saturday, Nov. 27.
