Over the past five years, MAD has collected nearly 200 exceptional pieces of art jewelry. From classic mid-century works to computer-designed musical jewelry, Wear It or Not: Recent Jewelry Acquisitions showcases the depth and variety of the new additions to the museum’s renowned permanent collection.
The exhibition features nearly 130 works from around the world, with objects by artists such as Claire Falkenstein, Olaf Skoogfors and Art Smith from the studio jewelry movement of the 1950s and 60s; several silver cuffs from India; alongside more recent works by emerging, mid-career and established jewelry artists such including gallery artists Melanie Bilenker, Lola Brooks, Gesine Hackenberg, Ruth Reifen and Sondra Sherman. The exhibition will explore a range of jewelry making techniques, including computer design and digital fabrication, as well as the use of uncommon and unexpected materials to carry contemporary art jewelry beyond its decorative function into new creative realms of conceptual, social and political resonance.
March 12, 2013 to June 2, 2013