This exhibition of contemporary narrative jewellery explores the sense of place and cultural identity through the theme of Transplantation. Artists based in the UK and Australia have explored their own sense of place and individual cultural identity as a consequence of their personal and family experiences of transplantation.
Jewellery offers an art form which provides a means of recording memory and experience in a portable and wearable form. Through this medium it is possible to express ideas, thoughts, and concerns, which may not be achievable in other ways. Twelve contemporary jewellery artists from the UK and Australia have been selected to create up to three pieces of work each, which will articulate the notion of "transplantation" in a tangible form.
Even jewellers whose work is not overtly illustrative often have a story to tell. In some cases participants' existing reputations are already built on narrative and metaphor. Each artist in this exhibition has their own experience of cultural, familial and artistic transplantation of one sort or another that they have drawn on to create work which is powerful, engaging and thought-provoking.
Transplantation: A Sense of Place and Culture is developed by University of Lincoln, assisted by the National Centre for Craft and Design and funded by Arts Council England. In Australia it is toured by Museums & Galleries Queensland.
Artists
Anna Davern, Melbourne
Bridie Lander, Sydney/Birmingham
Jack Cunningham, Birmingham
Jivan Astfalck, London
Jo Pond, Derby
Joung-Mee Do, Melbourne
Laura Potter, London
Lin Cheung, London
Nick Bastin, Melbourne
Norman Cherry, Lincoln
Rosanne Bartley, Melbourne
Sheridan Kennedy, Sydney
Tour Dates 2013
Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery: 3 August - 8 September 2013
Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW: 28 October - 23 November 2013
Webb Gallery QCA/Griffith University: 12 December - 1 February 2014
Tour Dates 2014
Macquarie University, NSW: 13 February - 11 April 2014
Craft ACT, Canberra ACT: 29 May - 12 July 2014
Craft Victoria, Melbourne, VIC: 1 August - 31 August 2014
Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery: 9 October - 18 January 2015
Tour Dates 2015
Cowra Regional Gallery: 7 February - 15 March 2015
Bunbury Regional Art Galleries: 10 April - 31 May 2015
Gallery Central, Central Institute of Technology, Perth: 20 June - 10 July 2015
Banner image above: Laura Potter, Goldweights of the 19th Century Australian Colonists (detail). 27 brass cast figures/objects, 10 brass flies.
