What do we truly value?
From 5th July through to 29 September 2024, Pforzheim Jewellery Museum invites you to explore jewellery from a uniquely philosophical angle
Concurrent with ORNAMENTA 2024 in Pforzheim and the northern Black Forest, Pforzheim Jewellery Museum is proud to present two exhibitions under the title ‘All Cleared Out’. The first, ‘The Votes are Being Cast – Visitors’ Choices’ is curated by the visitors, featuring their own creations, while the second ‘Hand-selected’ by Sam Tho Duong captures the flair of globally renowned jewellery designers.
The themes revolve around what represents true value, symbolic meaning, and feelings of longing. Pieces of jewellery may well be regarded as luxury objects, but the pieces we love radiate a special aura derived from ideas, or the people associated with them. In collaboration with all those involved, the Pforzheim Jewellery Museum will be shining a light on what it means to consider something truly valuable.
You be the curator
In the Historical Collection section, visitors and groups assembled by partners from educational and cultural institutions will have an opportunity to step into the role of curators and compose an exhibition themselves – including jewellery they will have made in workshops where they let their creativity blossom. Together with experienced museum educators, extraordinary art is created from a wide variety of upcycled everyday materials: things like yoghurt cups, bicycle inner tubes and tissue paper are recycled and reimagined.
The workshops will adopt the traditional Japanese concept Mottainai, embracing the idea of respecting our resources and not wasting them, along with an inherent recognition of their value.
It also addresses core questions about the phenomenon of jewellery: why is jewellery worn? Does it have to be wearable at all? What constitutes the value of jewellery? And what is valuable, or precious to us?
If it’s not the material, is it the underlying idea, the craftsmanship involved, a piece’s rarity, or the memories attached to it?
In addition, a video installation ‘You are valuable’ by The Artpole can be seen, which focuses not on things, but on people.
Assembled by Sam Tho Duong
In the Modern Collection area, globally-renowned jewellery artist and resident of Pforzheim, Sam Tho Duong showcases his own work in dialogue with objects created by ten of his jewellery designer friends. With roots in Europe, Asia and Africa, the ensemble have worked as instructors at jewellery academies in Germany or abroad. Some have been artists in residence, or award winners, but all are represented in museum collections and have exhibited in many places around the world.
“I allowed myself to be guided by the feelings their jewellery evoked in me. I was fascinated greatly by these jewellery artists at least during one of their creative periods. The exhibits were created from different materials and in some cases using quite unusual techniques. The focus is on materials that are unconventional for jewellery and values are called into question,” said Duong on how he selected the artists.
The artists involved are: David Bielander, Alexander Blank, Helen Britton, Paul Derrez, Mirjam Hiller, Jiro Kamata, Daniel Kruger, Silke Spitzer, Christoph Straube, Lifu Zhou. Admission is included in the ticket price for the main exhibition.
‘All Cleared Out’ at ORNAMENTA Pleasure
ORNAMENTA 2024 in the northern Black Forest includes the Ornamenta Pleasure project – a platform for ideas that complements the main programme. This project invites artists, the public, institutions and regional companies to contribute to ORNAMENTA 2024 – as Pforzheim Jewellery Museum is doing with ‘All Cleared Out’.
Further information – schmuckmuseum.de/en/