Artist and Gallerist Geraldine Fenn Wins the Inaugural 2025 AJF Solo Exhibition Award

Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance IX: Primitivised, 2024, brooch in silver, glass, vintage painted portrait, wooden carving, glass trade beads, vintage plastic charms, silk thread, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, *Colonial Comeuppance IX: Primitivised,* 2024, brooch in silver, glass, classic painted portrait, picket carving, glass commerce beads, classic plastic charms, silk thread, photograph courtesy of the artist

Lynchburg, Virginia, US—Artwork Jewellery Discussion board (AJF) is happy to announce that the most important artwork jewellery money award within the US, the AJF Solo Exhibition Award, has been awarded to the South African artist Geraldine Fenn, a up to date jeweler who began Tinsel Gallery, in Johannesburg, in 2006.

The grant will assist an exhibition by which Fenn will discover energy dynamics within the European colonization of Africa by persevering with manufacturing of her collection of narrative items that reinterpret historic portrait jewellery in silver and commerce beads. In different works deliberate for the exhibition, Fenn will discover a way new to her, micromosaic. She may even additional develop a collaborative venture with a beading collective from Zimbabwe which interprets pixelated variations of the historic portrait jewels into woven beaded panels. Fenn will obtain a money grant of $20,000 to provide the venture. The exhibition can be proven at Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h, in Montreal, Canada.

Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance VII: De-Faced, 2024, brooch in silver, vintage portrait, glass, glass trade beads, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, *Colonial Comeuppance VII: De-Confronted,* 2024, brooch in silver, classic portrait, glass, glass commerce beads, metal pin, photograph courtesy of the artist

Fenn holds bachelor’s levels in archaeology and classics, and in artwork historical past, in addition to an MFA. Apart from working Tinsel Gallery, she has exhibited her work in Sweden, Brazil, Portugal, and France. Her jewellery has been chosen twice for the Schmuck particular present—a juried exhibition that takes place annually throughout Munich’s jewellery week, an important occasion in modern artwork jewellery.

Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance XI: Supérieur, 2024, brooch in silver, vintage portrait, glass, printed tin, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, *Colonial Comeuppance XI: Supérieur,* 2024, brooch in silver, classic portrait, glass, printed tin, metal pin, photograph courtesy of the artist

The distinguished jury for the 2025 Solo Exhibition Award consisted of the artist and educator Caroline Broadhead (UK); gallerist and curator Mike Holmes (US); and artwork historian and curator Grace Lai (NZ).

This grant alternative was open to artists of any age and nationality. Established by jewellery collector Linda Peshkin, of Scottsdale, AZ, US, the award helps the improvement and implementation of a solo exhibition that an artist working within the area of artwork jewellery may not in any other case have the means to undertake.

Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance VI: Golden Boy, 2023, brooch in silver, vintage portrait, diamonds, glass, glass trade beads, vintage plastic charms, silk thread, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, *Colonial Comeuppance VI: Golden Boy,* 2023, brooch in silver, classic portrait, diamonds, glass, glass commerce beads, classic plastic charms, silk thread, metal pin, photograph courtesy of the artist

Linda Peshkin: “I used to be actually thrilled with the variety of excellent functions we obtained. Since that is the primary time this award is being given, I wasn’t certain what to anticipate. The thought and energy that went into the submissions was actually spectacular. The jury had a tough selection—it was very, very shut.

“In the long run, I’m thrilled with the collection of Geraldine as the primary winner of this award. Her utility was sensible, considerate, and really private, with a mixture of humor and political commentary. Additionally, with the present deliberate for Montreal, it’s a nice alternative for extra folks to expertise her work in North America.”

Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2025, brooch in 18-karat gold, glass beads, vintage coral, silk thread, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2025, brooch in 18-karat gold, glass beads, classic coral, silk thread, photograph courtesy of the artist

Grace Lai: “Serving as a jury member for this award has been each an honor and a problem, given the distinctive caliber of submissions. The technical mastery, conceptual depth, and inventive imaginative and prescient on show reaffirm the energy and dynamism of up to date jewellery. Choosing a winner required cautious consideration—not solely of the work offered but in addition of the potential and future trajectory that an award like this will help unlock. This recognition affords the recipient an important platform to develop a targeted physique of labor, have interaction a wider viewers, and contribute meaningfully to the evolving discourse of up to date jewellery. My heartfelt congratulations to Geraldine Fenn! I’m excited to see the belief of the venture.”

Geraldine Fenn, Colonial Comeuppance X: Extra Pur, 2024, brooch in silver, vintage portrait, glass, printed tin, steel pin, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, *Colonial Comeuppance X: Further Pur,* 2024, brooch in silver, classic portrait, glass, printed tin, metal pin, photograph courtesy of the artist

Mike Holmes: “It’s a good signal for our area that the jurying of the functions for the AJF Solo Exhibition Award was so difficult. The concepts and conceptions proven within the artists’ submissions have been considerate and galvanizing. I might have favored for a lot of of them to be realized. Congratulations to the artists who utilized for his or her rigorous and delightful proposals.”

Caroline Broadhead: “I feel all of us felt an ideal reluctance to pick solely one of many wonderful and deserving candidates, and it was really a tough closing determination. It was a privilege to have a look at the submissions—wonderful, partaking work and a formidable stage of ambition, professionalism, and dedication to the topic.”

Geraldine Fenn, photo courtesy of Geraldine Fenn — Geraldine Fenn, photograph courtesy of Geraldine Fenn

Geraldine Fenn: “I’m completely thrilled to have gained this grant, and so grateful to AJF and Linda Peshkin for offering me with such an unbelievable alternative. It has stuffed me with a renewed enthusiasm and sense of objective, imagining all the chances! To be given the means to make new work for a solo present—which can embody some touring to be taught new abilities and interact with different craftspeople—is such a privilege. Thanks, Caroline Broadhead, Grace Lai, and Mike Holmes for choosing me, and Noel Guyomarc’h for agreeing to host the present! I’m actually wanting ahead to exhibiting my work in North America for the primary time. In my studio, in Johannesburg, I usually really feel fairly remoted from the remainder of the artwork jewellery world, so this represents an actual connection to it in the absolute best manner.”

Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2025, in silver, glass beads, silk thread, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2025, in silver, glass beads, silk thread, photograph courtesy of the artist

Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2024, in glass beads, thread, photo courtesy of the artist — Geraldine Fenn, Untitled collaboration with Marigold beadwork collective, 2024, in glass beads, thread, photograph courtesy of the artist

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