Recycled Narratives: Contemporary Jewellery - Material Culture - Praxis

Abstract

This exegesis outlines research undertaken in the studio in tandem with the study of theoretical texts along with analysis of work by contemporary artists and metalsmiths. My studio approach is framed within ethical approaches to use of material and sustainable practices in production. The use of non-precious materials in contemporary jewellery is well established as a method to critique preciousness and question value, as is the reuse and repair of component parts of existing jewellery part of a global recycle movement across many disciplines. The work created in this project aims to investigate a wider use of humble materials and broken or discarded consumer objects by investigating the potential for exploiting their symbolic power and functional possibilities through reimagining as well as repurposing as jewellery. In demonstrating that jewellery can offer a critical reflection on contemporary society this project aims to also reinvigorate the important role jewellery has played as a key conveyance at the intersection of materials, the symbolic order and social, economic and environmental values.