Ever wonder the about the artistic inspiration behind your necklace or
braceletNULL Every culture has a history of body adornment and object
making that reflects their own traditions and environment. Native
Americans, among others, created ritual objects that were strongly
linked to their spiritual beliefs. Other cultures use objects of adornment
to identify wealth, status and clan membership.
In America, these traditions are often lost but are revived in a personal
way by contemporary jewelry and metal artists. Within the Northwest
there are a number of artists who have taken inspiration from
ethnographic traditions and created their own expressions. By using
the wealth of images and objects that have had meaning to those that
came before, contemporary jewelry artists have created their own
metaphors for inspiration.
Our culture is one of increasing diversity, where the individual spirit and
identity reigns over a distinct cultural continuity. It is the contemporary
artist within our culture who often opens the door for us to explore what
is meaningful for us individually and collectively.
Under the Influence is curated by Mia McEldowney of Seattle and will
feature the work of approximately seventeen contemporary Northwest
jewelry artists whose work reflects an influence of one or more cultural
traditions. Selected pieces of their work will be placed next to their
corresponding ethnographic objects.
Under the Influence is supported by the Corporate Council for the
Arts Guendolen Carkeek Plestcheeff Decorative and Design Arts Fund.
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