A Quiet Energy – Artwork Jewellery Discussion board

There’s a quiet energy within the work of Geraldine Fenn—one which doesn’t clamor for consideration however attracts you in with its layered storytelling and hanging magnificence. Fenn’s jewellery challenges colonial histories whereas inviting intimate reflection, providing items which can be as thought-provoking as they’re wearable. Along with her latest win of the AJF Solo Exhibition Award, she reaches a milestone practically 30 years within the making—a second of recognition not just for her personal apply, however for the broader subject of South African artwork jewellery that she has lengthy championed.

On this dialog, Fenn speaks with heat and perception about Colonial Comeuppance, the sequence that earned her the award. We discover her evolving relationship with museums, her fascination with historic portraiture, and the brand new collaborations and strategies—equivalent to micromosaic and beadwork—which can be pushing her apply in thrilling instructions. What unfolds is a portrait of an artist deeply dedicated to craft, connection, and the quiet however highly effective function jewellery can play in reframing the tales we supply and put on.

Khanya Mthethwa: Congratulations on successful the AJF Solo Exhibition Award! What does this recognition imply to you, each personally and professionally?

Geraldine Fenn: Thanks! It means a lot to me, particularly at this stage of my profession. I’ve been attempting for a very long time—practically 30 years!—to discover a greater viewers for my work, in addition to that of different South African jewellery artists, so this implies every part to me. The chance to give attention to producing a physique of labor is one which I don’t take as a right, and my heartfelt thanks go to Linda Peshkin and AJF for his or her generosity.

Your upcoming exhibition will discover energy dynamics in European colonization by jewellery. How did this idea emerge in your apply, and what drew you to historic portrait jewellery as a medium for storytelling?

Geraldine Fenn: It’s onerous to pinpoint precisely when it emerged in my work, nevertheless it’s been one thing I’ve been serious about for a very long time. I studied archaeology earlier than transferring into jewellery, so the flexibility of cultural artefacts to “converse” in regards to the folks and societies that produced them has at all times me, and museums have been completely happy locations of inspiration for me. Extra not too long ago, although, I’ve felt more and more uncomfortable when cupboards of curiosity: as an African of European descent, I’m conscious that these artefacts will not be impartial, and the surprise that collections had been meant to encourage is tinged with unhappiness in regards to the circumstances by which they got here to be.

These ideas began showing in my work about three years in the past, after I started utilizing miniature portraits as a medium to impress some questions in regards to the colonial presence in Africa. By turning the colonials themselves—the characters within the portraits—into objects being collected and exoticized, pinned down like butterflies underneath glass, I’m aiming to show the tables on them slightly bit.

Your work typically reinterprets historic types utilizing modern supplies equivalent to silver, commerce beads, and printed tin. How do you go about deciding on the supplies and strategies that finest convey your narratives?

Geraldine Fenn: I search for issues that embody a story, or the potential for narrative, as a place to begin. The portraits are excellent as a result of the characters are there already, and commerce beads have such a historical past of alternate between Europe and Africa that they’re an excellent materials for me to make use of. I’ve at all times been drawn to amassing issues, and there have been a variety of supplies current in my work from the start. Typically an object itself will counsel a chunk I wish to make, and different instances I’ve the concept first after which search for the supplies finest capable of specific it.

You’ll be collaborating with the Marigold beading collective, in addition to incorporating micromosaic for the primary time. Inform us about these artistic processes and what excites you about exploring these new instructions.

Geraldine Fenn: This stuff happened as a result of I used to be trying to broaden the methods by which I can create portraits to make use of in my jewellery (since I can’t draw or paint very nicely). I’ve needed to collaborate with Marigold for some time now, and pixelating the previous painted portraits I’ve been utilizing was the proper begin to that course of. It has been facilitated by Joni Brenner, and I’ll be going to Bulawayo along with her to satisfy with the beaders and develop some extra concepts. I wish to see how far we are able to push each the loomed beading method and the subject material of the faces.

Studying micromosaic—I’m going to be going to Milan in September to do a course with Rebecca di Filippo—is an extension of that want to create portraits in different media. I’ve at all times cherished glass, in order that appeared like a pure match for me.

Your gallery, Tinsel, has been an necessary house for modern jewellery in South Africa since 2006. How has working a gallery influenced your inventive apply and assisted in shaping the native jewellery panorama?

Geraldine Fenn: Having the gallery has at all times been a bit selfishly motivated—nothing prefer it existed earlier than, so we would have liked to create an area to indicate and promote our personal work—however I’m happy with the publicity we’ve been capable of create for different native artists, too. The previous few years have been particularly productive for that: We first went to exhibit at Munich Jewelry Week in 2022, and the relationships we initiated then have led to different worldwide exhibiting alternatives each for us (me and my associate Eric Loubser) and for different South African artwork jewelers who we symbolize. I feel we’ve contributed to native work being put extra on the artwork jewellery map for a world viewers, and I’m actually completely happy about that because it has at all times been our fundamental objective.

When it comes to my inventive apply, the gallery has been vastly priceless. With out the impetus it offers us to maintain making artwork jewellery, we’d have been totally consumed by the extra industrial work we do to earn a dwelling. I additionally like the truth that our workspace is built-in into the gallery, and we present a variety of items—artwork items aspect by aspect with extra typical jewellery—which is nice for exposing folks to this sort of work and perhaps making them really feel extra comfy about sporting it.

Your work strikes between conceptual artwork jewellery and bespoke sentimental items. How do these two approaches affect one another in your artistic course of?

Geraldine Fenn: I really feel very lucky that I get to make every kind of knickknack, as a result of I actually find it irresistible all! The sentimentality of knickknack, the intimacy it has with its wearer, offers it a built-in sense of narrative, which is what I prefer to entry in my artwork items. So the 2 actually feed into each other—a bespoke piece can have extra parameters and be extra easy when it comes to supplies and scale, however the fundamentals are just about the identical.

Having exhibited internationally—in Sweden, Brazil, Portugal, and France—how do you see South African modern jewellery positioned throughout the international scene?

Geraldine Fenn: Once we’re in Germany, I prefer to put on my “Africa Your Time Is Now” sweatshirt, primarily to maintain heat but additionally to precise the sentiment, which I imagine in strongly. Now we have some momentum now on our aspect—simply have a look at how nicely African visible and performing artists are doing on the worldwide stage—so I’d be very completely happy to see our youthful jewellery artists benefiting from that and creating alternatives for his or her work to be seen.

Your award-winning sequence, Colonial Comeuppance, carries a robust political and historic message. How do you navigate the intersection of knickknack, artwork, and activism in your work?

Geraldine Fenn: I’ve by no means considered my work when it comes to activism—my objective is at all times at first to make one thing stunning that additionally has substance—however this sequence does have broader relevance, particularly within the context of the present storm across the restitution of stolen cultural artefacts by European museums. Jewellery does have nice potential for spreading concepts as a result of it’s such a cellular type of artwork, and but it inhabits such a private sphere so it may be a quiet however highly effective act of resistance. Finally, for me that intersection of artwork, jewellery, and activism is all about connection. As a result of it’s wearable, jewellery facilitates contact between folks. If a dialog between two strangers takes place as a result of considered one of them is sporting a brooch of mine, then I’m happy that I’ve made some sort of contribution.

You’ve talked about feeling considerably remoted in Johannesburg from the broader artwork jewellery world. What do you hope this award and the ensuing exhibition in North America will give you when it comes to inventive development and worldwide engagement?

Geraldine Fenn: Already I really feel the inventive development occurring! For the reason that award was introduced, my mind has been fizzing with concepts and potentialities that the grant will make potential. It actually is a large alternative, and I’m extraordinarily grateful for it. I feel the worldwide engagement shall be nice, and it will likely be a brand new viewers for me, since I haven’t exhibited in North America earlier than. I requested Noel Guyomarc’h if he would host me at his Montreal gallery as a result of it’s an area that’s unfamiliar to me and can open up new connections with folks. (Canada additionally has a colonial historical past, so that matches conceptually, too.) Now we have set a date for the present, by the way in which. It’ll begin June 13, 2026.

What’s subsequent for you past this exhibition?

Geraldine Fenn: Who is aware of?! Proper now I’m totally targeted on planning work for the present, which is a continuation of the themes of colonialism and amassing explored by the medium of portraiture, however you by no means know the place the method may take you, and what may spark a brand new course. I assume that’s what retains us making artwork, even when it will get onerous and it seems like nobody’s listening.

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