This blog has become very lively and is definitely collecting and connecting all sorts of very interesting aspects around the themes of migration, home, jewelry!
I wanted to share with you something that I discovered reading in the book THE CRAFTSMAN by Richard Sennett about goldsmiths and migration: In the medieval days an apprentice goldsmith was place-bound during his first stage of learning the basic techniques. But after that, once having proved himself by locally presenting his chef d’oeuvre he became a journeyman. This way by moving from city to city and responding to opportunities the traveling goldsmith became a convincing master craftsman who tended to be entrepreneurial with managerial talents, having been made strong by travel and mobility.
In fact I wasn’t aware of this aspect before at all and find it extremely interesting how so many contemporary jewelers – and this our group especially, are actually following an age long tradition!
I would really like to express an extra special thank you to José Manuel for your input and also to Galeria La REFACCIONARIA for their enthusiastic offer and reception of the project!
So, mobility seems to be in the jeweller’s blood! It is really interesting, and may be a good idea to start the catalog with…?
Thank you Andrea!
Dear Andrea,
I’ve been considering read this book for sometime and now I’m convinced I should have it!
In the begginign of my “jeweller” life , when I was working at a studio, back in 1995, I met an Italian photographer. He was a friend of the studio’s owner and every year he passed a few weeks in the studio (the studio was also the home of the owner). He spent all the year travelling and he said his home was his suitcase.
Well that gave me a lot of material for daydreaming…I wished I could be so light and have this capacity to travel and find works wherever I was. At that time I thought jewellery demanded me a heavy bench and so many tools that it could be a problem.
I think that was the beggining of this need of mine of using so little tools as I pursue until today!
Dear Mirla,
I’m glad you can relate to the comment so much!
Anyway, I wonder how you will like the book. I haven’t gotten far in it yet. The author is sociologist, and this is my third book by someone of that profession, and they all have this very complicated way of knotting together sentences, instead of saying it in a way more clearly understandable. Far too many sentences I have to read twice to really get. So that might be a bit frustrating, but do absolutely have a look at it.
Hello Andrea,
Thanks for your comments. I have been actively pursuing some artists who share topics with jewelers and designers alike.
According to history, crafts were the first handmade objects which celebrated the visual impact of nature (the aesthetic). When art emerged (with the name Art), artists were driven towards the institution and the official truths. It was when design came, that the whole scheme of visual imagery changed, mainly because it was geared to consumption. Where as its early sisters were connected to celebrating colective systems of belief (like religion).
I would like to know what are the crossings between crafta, art and design, that make jewelry look so far ahead of visual arts, and so detached from design, in the traditional sense of the word.
I will keep an eye on your response.
All the bes.
Hello Andrea,
Thanks for your comments. I have been actively pursuing some artists who share topics with jewelers and designers alike.
According to history, crafts were the first handmade objects which celebrated the visual impact of nature (the aesthetic). When art emerged (with the name Art), artists were driven towards the institution and the official truths. It was when design came, that the whole scheme of visual imagery changed, mainly because it was geared to consumption. Where as its early sisters were connected to celebrating colective systems of belief (like religion).
I would like to know what are the crossings between crafta, art and design, that make jewelry look so far ahead of visual arts, and so detached from design, in the traditional sense of the word.
I will keep an eye on your response.
All the best.