Little
Polished surgical stainless steel, with a PVD gold coating. And a high quality red nylon string.
Category — Competition
This was one the finalists projects in the international ‘Next J.’ Jewellery Talent Contest 2017, organized by VICENZAORO, and Italian Exhibition Group. With the theme: ‘Functional Jewellery’.
A prototype developed in collaboration with MANUGANDA was shown as part of an exhibition of the finalists’ works at Museo del Gioiello, in Vicenza, Italia. Subsequently, that piece was selected to be exhibited in the third biennial edition of the museum, at the Sala Funzione curated by Massimo Vidale. As of December 13, 2018.
Just at the beginning of the creative process I made a list of things I wanted the piece to be, and not to be: Relatable. Regardless of gender, age, nationality, etc. Its function should be something almost primitive, simple. It must not resemble what the Japanese call a chindōgu. Timeless. Technology requires updates. It’s not a bad thing. But timelessness does not account for renewal.
With all this on my mind I took inspiration on an Anglo-Saxon costume to tie a red string around one’s finger in order to remember something. Everyone who has done it knows that if you tie the string too hard it’ll hurt. Bad memories. But if you loosen it, then it will fall. Lost memories. So I added something that would wrap the finger, but not completely so the string still touches our skin.
I liked the gesture of making the bearer a participant on the creation of the jewel, just like they are participants on the creation of their own memories. They would tie the string around the metal in order for it to be a little reminder.
The exhibition catalog (Silvana Editoriale) was edited by Alba Cappellieri.
Photo credit (ring): Alessandra Olivari, Silvia Sala.
Special thanks to MANUGANDA.
Above: moodboard, and early sketches.