IDEA
RELATIONS
The modern world, although diverse, is at the same time strongly interconnected on many levels. Relations are the foundation of existence, an inseparable element of life, permeating every dimension. Relations between people, the relations between man and nature, man and technology, the individual and the collective, as well as the deep, often unconscious ties between the past and the present - all contribute to our experience of being in the world.
Relationships characterise our lives: initially those with parents, siblings and extended family, later those with friends, partners, the community. They shape our identity, attitudes, emotions and values. They are like a delicate thread that connects us to others, creating a complex web of relationships.
Jewellery, as a personal object, can sometimes be a symbol of these bonds. Often through jewellery we reveal our attachment, it is a sign of belonging to a group, a family or a life partner. Sometimes these are obvious codes and sometimes they are secret, very personal signs.
Amber has witnessed millions of years of diverse interactions, and the inclusions trapped inside amber reveal the connections between past and present, between life and matter. Amber embodies the passage of time and the continuity of life, and each piece of amber is unique, just like each relation.
We invite you to create jewellery with amber as an expression of personal reflections on the essence of relations, the result of a creative dialogue with nature, culture, technology, matter, history, the other person. We look forward to stories about invisible networks of relations and subtle bonds between form and material, nature and culture, tradition and innovation, artist and viewer.
Barbara Schmidt, September 2024