GOLDSMITHS’ FAIR – THE PLACE TO BE
Where do you buy jewelry most of the time? Do you prefer to buy online while sitting on the couch with your laptop, or making your way to work on a tram? Or maybe what you like most is checking out trinkets in the store windows and then trying them on? Either way, we rarely get a chance to explore the story behind every object or talk to the creator. That is unfortunate as jewelry holds within it much more than just pretty rocks or an interesting design. Fortunately, though there is the Goldsmiths’ Fair.
The Goldsmiths’ Fair is one of the most important events for collectors and jewelry aficionados in Great Britain. The London fair has gained a worldwide fame for the careful selection of local artists and artisans. There are no accidental picks there, and the visitors can be certain that every single exhibitor, among the 126 present, is a virtuoso at what they do. This year the Fair will launch on September 24th and go for two weeks. Each week will showcase 63 hand-picked exhibitors. This year’s story is all about collections and they are the main theme of the 2019 Goldsmiths’ Fair. The organizers intend to encourage us to reach for objects that inspire, make us happy and… incite us to wear them. Apparently, it is not us who create collections, but it is the objects that speak to us and “choose”. If you would like a British trinket to join your collections, make sure you visit London between September 24th and October 6th. In the meantime, we are pleased to present six noteworthy artists of this year’s Fair deserving of your attention!
The passion for jewelry runs in his blood. Tom Rucker is the fourth generation of goldsmiths in his family. No wonder that today, he is one of the most recognizable artists in the field of platinum jewelry. It was him who created the stunning blue platinum and invented the GEO.2 laser welding technology. In addition, his platinum masterpieces sparkle with a true myriad of colors: greens, purples or all shades of blue. Rucker is famed for his creativity and complex forms, including the hallmark openwork mesh. Year after year his works receive many prestigious awards.
‘The perfect imperfection’ is how experts describe her aesthetics. Brennan’s works are outstandingly sculptural, and they imitate shapes adopted from nature. Flowers made of precious and semi-precious stones create vivid compositions. Their lavish colorfulness is captivating. They are unique and beautiful, but you wouldn’t say they were executed with an overly concern for the finishing touches. That, however, gives an additional charm and a fascinating rebelliousness. Donna Brennan is not afraid to reach for new technologies. She is also a real master at playing with light. So, if you enjoy combining romantic with modern, you will simply fall in love with her works.
Perfect cuts and highest quality gemstones. That is the most succinct description of David Fowkes’s designs. He has masterfully grasped his craft. The jewelry that originates in his atelier results from applying both state-of-the-art technologies and stone cutting techniques developed back in antiquity. It was that very artistry and the characteristic geometry of his work that secured him a spot at the Fair. For Fowkes, the most important thing is for his works to be unique, and for each object to tell the story of the rock it frames.
You can clearly sense the passion for architecture in Yeena’s jewelry. She enjoys discovering the hidden potential of various materials and tests it in various projects. She creates jewelry that will work in diverse situations, for both everyday-wear, as well as special occasions. She plays around with functionalities to achieve that, and she takes from the personality and the outfit of the client by reinterpreting the relationship of the jewelry and the body. The forms she engages are seemingly simple, but the longer you look at them, the more interesting bits you find.
Zeemou Zeng
This one is a young brand, founded only in 2017. Despite that, it cannot be overlooked. It specializes not only in luxury jewelry, but also in high-quality accessories and crystal items. Zeemou Zeng’s pieces have a teasing quality and ingenuity about them. They combine both beauty and functionality. You can’t miss the jewelry inspired by Boticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus’ or the Melody collection. The latter’s mobile elements emit a range or sounds when the gemstones hit one another. It is creativity in a simple elegant style.
Anton Kata
Kata believes in the emotional value of jewelry. Other than professionalism, he also values an individual approach and a personal side to every art object. That’s why Anton Kata loves creating custom pieces. What’s more, his work is a terrific example of environmentally friendly jewelry! Precious metals used in Anton Katy’s works are recycled, and the precious stones come from ethical sources. His designs stem from references to culture and literature. Kata himself admits that he finds it hard to resist colored rocks. And so, he strives to emphasize their beauty with a meticulous gem setting. Make sure you take a moment to ponder them when checking out Kata’s work.
