Apparent Motion is the inaugural exhibition curated by Lord Coconut, Melbourne’s newest handcrafted contemporary jewellery gallery and store.
Exhibition opening: Saturday 16th July - 3 to 5pm
The Exhibition runs during normal shop hours until 31st July 2011.
The in-store exhibition is part of the 2011 State of Design Festival Look.Stop.Shop program. This program is an experimental showcase of installations and window-displays throughout 29 design-minded businesses within the Melbourne CBD. Each business was asked to address the Festival theme ‘design that moves’.
Lord Coconut asked his jewellers, artisans and designers to address the exhibition theme ‘Apparent Motion’. They have been challenged to create jewellery pieces for men which explores the concept of ‘kinetic movement’ and asked to address:
- Can kinetic jewellery be designed for men?
- How will men wear this jewellery?
- Will men wear the jewellery?
- How far can jewellers push what is acceptable for men?
Eight jewellers met this challenge and created twenty eight unique pieces of wearable art. The jewellers involved are: Beth Croce, Cath Da Costa, Tamara Hain (My Friend Romeo), Deeana Michela, David Parker, Ellen Pittman and Justin Siow.
Beth Croce
Clever Boys
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| Cast Sterling Silver & Recycled Computer Chip |
Those Clever Boys. As a printer head computer chip encoded with a multitude of instructions directing the release of ink that will create works of art, the male gamete (or ‘sperm’) contains half the genetic information required to direct the development of an entire human being.... These cufflinks were inspired by an inkjet printer (brand name withheld) that died only days after it's 12 month warranty expired. Keen to recycle my nearly new looking paperweight, I let my kids 'learn by doing' taking it apart. Beyond being an educational toy, I found it's parts to be quite aesthetically interesting, much as I do the human anatomy that inspires my jewellery designs.
Cath Da Costa
Hybrid Objects
Left to right
The Island II, mild steel, HIPS (high impact polystyrene), sterling silver, neckpiece
Heavy Pendant, mild steel, nylon, pendant
Object, mild steel, object/vase
Capsule III, mild steel, HIPS (high impact polystyrene), sterling silver, stainless steel, fine gold, brooch
Inspired by the science fiction genre, the machine-like quality of mild steel was coupled with the more organically formed plastic to create hybrid objects suggestive of strange unions. Rings of steel stack together to suggest movement, like the pistons of a machine or the aperture of a lens. Glossy plastic, although rigid, appears to melt. The objects seem as if they could move or change shape at any time – twisting, turning, opening, closing.
Fiona Griffiths
Vecturist rings/cufflinks
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| Cast Sterling Silver and Recycled Tokens |
Left to right
LA Tram Car Token (circa 1920's) small ring
NYC Subway Token (circa 1970's) large ring
NYC Subway Token (circa 1950's) cufflinks
Hula Girl Hawaiian Bus Token (circa 1950's) large ring
NYC Subway Token (circa 1950's) small ring
For most of the 20th century, across America, transport tokens were fed into turnstiles and slot machines in exchange for a fare on tramcars, trains and buses. Struck by an industrial press, bearing its weight and force down onto brass discs, stamped like coinage, these tokens were beautifully tooled and detailed.
Their journey of apparent motion began; from the hands of the commuter, each token was put through countless machines across numerous cities, hundreds and hundreds of times and circulated for many many years.
As a vecturist, a collector of transport tokens, and a jeweller, I retire these obsolete vintage tokens in a hand crafted piece of jewellery. Mounted in a silver setting, these tokens of the past, now take on a new cycle of travel with the wearer.
My Friend Romeo
Animal lapel pins
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| Oxidised Sterling Silver & Leather - approx. 3.4x2cm |
Inspired by the appeal, illusion and movement of traditional shadow puppets and jointed dolls these pieces represent apparent motion - with their simple movements and relationship with a past, before technology gave us high expectations and short attention spans. Amongst the chaos of our fast moving times, simple uncomplicated design, the use of low tech motion and a touch of nostalgia leads to the question of how far we have actually moved forward, the impact and consequence.
There are also subtle relationships reflected between boy and man, toy and style, predator and provider, anticipation and strength – all of which continue to evolve and move throughout a lifetime.
However it is the relationship and interactions between human and animal and the animal kingdom as a whole that is most intriguing as we move from being the hunter, the protector, the master, the prey and the consumer – and both man and animal can be moved to kill, to live, to admire, to love and to befriend.
Whilst reflecting on such themes the collection never lets go of the playfulness of times gone by when childhood simply moved us to have fun.
Deeana Michela
Time Talisman
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| Oxidised Sterling Silver, Watch Crystal & Old Watch Parts |
My interpretation of Apparent Motion is inspired by my fascination with old time-pieces. People can find themselves just ‘going through the motions’ of life without stopping to embrace it. A symbol of time gone by, my piece serves a talisman, a constant reminder to savour moments in life.
David Parker
The Winged Wheel cufflinks
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| Sterling & Nickel Silver |
"The idea of Motion is amplified to an extreme degree: as fast as a bird can fly, and that to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, was the ultimate in speed. This 'winged wheel' is seen most often in connection with Athena but also frequently with mercury. The Wheel with wings is, in a sense, a 'spinning' or moving wheel. Together Mercury, by himself or with other figures, it is the most common symbol for communication and/or transport" - www.emorgankelley/thewingedwheel
My interpretation is based on the post war era of mass mobilisation or motion. For the first time transport became available to the entire population. This evolved into racing and hot rod cultures which rediscovered the imagery of the winged wheel on mass.
The wheel in particular is what's know as a '5 slotter' and was the wheel of choice for many Australian racers and hotrodders of the 60's and 70's at a time when I believe the ethos of the winged wheel was most previlant.
Ellen Pittman
Skin Rings
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| Cast Sterling Silver - 15x20x28mm |
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Skin Rings capture in silver one moment on the surface of a human body. A moment of stillness, between the motion of breath, pulse, sweat and volition.
Justin Siow
Karma Sutra Thaumatrope rings
Wiktionary describes the idiom 'boys and their toys' as being used to evoke the idea that adult
men sometimes dote excessively on machines, automobiles, and gadgets in a childish manner.
Whether it's their model train set, their playstation or the latest iPad it seems that the aspect of
play is ingrained in the male psyche. With this in mind the pieces contributed to this exhibition
are inspired by old fashioned toys that have kinetic elements.
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| 100% recycled Sterling Silver - 30x10x25mm |
Popular in Victorian times a thaumatrope is an optical toy that uses the persistence of vision to
merge two separate images into one. A disk or card with an image painted on each side is
attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled between the fingers the two
pictures appear to combine into a single image.
Jacobs Ladder bracelet
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| Sterling Silver & Titanium - 230x15x10mm |
Inspired by an old fashioned toy called a Jacob's Ladder. Originally was made from a series of
wooden blocks weaved together with lengths of ribbon. When the top block is flipped it
seemingly cascades down to the bottom. The configuration of the ribbons is such that each
block is connected to the next at both ends, but when laid flat it appears to only be connected
at one.
Special thanks to the 2011 State of Design Festival and their Look.Stop.Shop program for our inclusion.
