In Remembrance of Tone Vigeland

Oslo, Norway, March 31, 2024

Tone Vigeland is extensively thought of a pioneer inside the subject of artwork jewellery. Born in 1938 into one in every of Norway’s most outstanding artist households, Tone entered Statens Håndverks- og Kunstindustriskole (immediately known as Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo, the Oslo Nationwide Academy of the Arts) in 1955. In 1957 she started her goldsmith coaching at Oslo Yrkesskole (Oslo Vocational College) and at David Andersen’s silver workshop, in Oslo. She later joined the PLUS cooperative in Fredrikstad, Norway, the place a few of her hottest designs had been produced. In 1963 she left PLUS to give attention to her personal creative follow, creating distinctive artwork works.

From 1995 onward, Tone explored large-scale sculptural and spatial works, utilizing most of the identical supplies we all know from her artwork jewellery follow, together with nails, stone, lead, metal, silver, and piano wire.

Tone is represented by quite a few museums in Norway and internationally, together with the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London; the Cooper-Hewitt and the Museum of Trendy Artwork, in New York; the Nationwide Museum of Trendy Design, in Tokyo; the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, in Paris; and the Pinakothek der Moderne, in Munich. In 2017 and 2018, the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, in Norway, Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum, in Munich, and Norwegian Crafts collaborated on an expansive retrospective exhibition on her work. It was titled Jewellery – Object – Sculpture.

Tone was embellished Commander of the Order of St. Olavs in 1996 and awarded the Prince Eugen Medal in 1988. In 1966, she acquired the Jacobprisen (The Jacob Awarded by Norsk Kind).

I first met Tone in 1986 once I was a part of a Norwegian jewellery exhibition known as Design for the Physique, on the ASF Gallery New York (American Scandinavian Basis Gallery). We had been a gaggle of 12 younger unexperienced jewellery artists, plus Tone, who was the principle attraction of the present.

We journeyed collectively to town that by no means sleeps, a band of artists able to make our mark. The expertise was nothing wanting magical, our youthful spirits ignited by the vitality of the Massive Apple and the chance to showcase our work alongside Tone’s.

Our creations had been a stark distinction to hers. Her work was a symphony of darkness, power, and wearability, in contrast to something we had seen in Europe. It was clear to us why she was the star of the present. Her distinctive type drew within the crème de la crème of the American jewellery scene, and the response from each the Norwegian and worldwide press was overwhelming.

Tone launched us to Robert Lee Morris’s gallery, Artwear, the place she unveiled her masterpieces. She shared the secrets and techniques of her craft, the intricate development of her items. It was a revelation, a masterclass that left an indelible mark on us all.

Quick ahead to 1990. I held my first solo exhibition in Oslo, at Kunstnerforbundet. Tone, ever the eager observer, had a knack for seeing a lot of the exhibitions within the Oslo space even earlier than they opened. I recall assembly her at Kunstnerforbundet just a few days after my opening. She approached me and stated, “That is additionally an fascinating approach to current the work, I like that.” Her phrases had been the best reward I may have acquired.

In 1995, when Tone had her second exhibition on the Kunstindustri Museum, she requested me to assist arrange her present. This marked the start of a fruitful collaboration that spanned years. As Tone ventured into creating bigger installations, we enlisted the assistance of our colleague, Kirsti Reinsborg Grov.

In 2004, we assisted Tone in organising her exhibition on the Lillehammer Artwork Museum. The exhibition included objects and wall installations. It was a rewarding expertise to see how Tone trusted us to put in her artwork items. The reminiscences of this mission nonetheless convey a smile to my face.

I used to be stuffed with satisfaction and honor when the Lillehammer Artwork Museum invited Tone to open my solo exhibition on the identical museum in 2011.

Over time, we (Kirsti Reinsborg Grov, Runa Vethal Stølen, Reinhold Ziegler, and I) have arrange Tone’s exhibitions and commissioned work in each non-public and official establishments. Working with Tone has been a journey of studying and self-discovery. She was beneficiant in sharing her information and launched me to Helen Drutt and plenty of different influential figures within the jewellery scene.

I later obtained to know Beate, one in every of Tone’s two daughters. Now we have studios in the identical constructing in Oslo metropolis middle and meet repeatedly. It was a heartwarming gesture when Beate donated a big neckpiece by Tone to Pinakothek der Moderne/Die Neue Sammlung simply after my very own opening there.

It’s bittersweet to consider the gorgeous exhibition she had in Pinakothek der Moderne/Die Neue Sammlung in 2017, whereas my very own exhibition continues to be working in the identical house. She gave me invaluable recommendation to arrange for such an enormous exhibition. I want she may have seen it. The enlightening conversations and the highly effective artwork items will endlessly be etched in my reminiscence.

I cannot neglect.

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