Architectural jewellery? Artists are transforming aspects of sculpture and ancient artefacts into innovative modern pieces, from Faith Hilda and Cindy Chao to Bibi van der Velden and Greek brand YSSO
Today’s designers are flipping the script on greats like sculptor Alexander Calder and artists Man Ray, Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, who all dabbled in jewellery design
From surrealist artist Man Ray’s Lampshade earrings, worn in the 60s by French actress Catherine Deneuve, to his collaborations in the 70s with Italian jeweller Gem Montebello – and from sculptor Alexander Calder’s masterfully absurd jewellery creations, worn by the likes of Simone de Beauvoir, Georgia O’Keeffe and Peggy Guggenheim, to feminist artist Niki de Saint Phalle’s ruminations on the body with her colourful brooches – artists have long turned to jewellery as a medium for creativity and self-expression.
Salvador Dalí started designing jewellery in 1941 – notably diamond-dipped eyeball brooches, and a bejewelled mouth with pearl teeth and ruby lips, in a collaboration with the surrealist couturier Elsa Schiaparelli. In a 1959 introduction to a catalogue, he wrote: “My art encompasses physics, mathematics, architecture, nuclear science – the psycho-nuclear, the mystico-nuclear – and jewellery – not paint alone.”
It makes sense when you consider how an artist, a sculptor, an architect and even an archaeologist might have a different perspective – a new way of seeing shape, colour and line, and of thinking about what makes something precious.
Below, meet four jewellers of today who’ve found a way to use a background in other creative disciplines in their designs.
Faith Jewels
Melbourne-based jeweller Faith Hilda, founder of Faith Jewels, first trained as an architect. She draws each piece and tends to think of them first as “houses”.
“I approach each sketch as if I were creating architectural drawings – top, front and side elevations – to ensure the design works from every angle,” she says.
“This process allows me to visualise how the piece interacts with the wearer, just as a house interacts with its environment. Because of my spatial training, I can bring my vision to life in real time, sketching alongside my clients and turning their stories into tangible designs.”
Hilda adds that architecture is the foundation of her design philosophy. “It has taught me to see the world in layers of light, shadow, form and space – all of which play a central role in my jewellery designs,” she says. “I take inspiration from architectural elements like domes, skylines and geometric forms, reinterpreting them into jewellery.”