Making Faces

Manon van Kouswijk

Making Faces

Manon van Kouswijk (Artist)

Department of Fine Art

Research output: Non-textual form › Commissioned or Visual Artwork › Research

Abstract

Research Background
The dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on using conventional materials and methodologies that require a level of skill and mastery. Manon van Kouswijk’s research looks at archetypal jewellery forms and motifs and questions how they can be extended and transformed.

Research Contribution
Making Faces - a jewellery playbook frames jewellery pieces as serial objects and uses a cross-disciplinary and unconventional methodology to activate the pieces beyond a static exhibition. The work consists of 65 beaded necklaces and an artist book. When worn, the necklaces are strands of colour-segmented beads. However, when not draped around the neck, each necklace can be transformed to create the shape of a face. The personification of each necklace is invisible when the piece is worn making the wearable portrait a secret companion known only to the wearer. The beautifully tactile artist book that accompanies each exhibition of the necklaces presents the range of portraits hidden with the configuration of beads. Curator Kate Rhodes describes the work as ‘document(ing) fleeting experiments’ and ‘a proposal for the idea that contemporary jewellery will offer different conceptual leaps and experiences, not only the experience of adornment.’

Research Significance
The project was exhibited globally in major contemporary jewellery galleries; Gallery SO in London, Gallery RA in Amsterdam, The National in New Zealand, and Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. Idea Books in The Netherlands distributed the award-winning artist publication internationally. Designed by highly esteemed graphic designers Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes the publication was described by judges of the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards as a 'testament to an art book that requires a close relationship between the artist and the designer'. The publication included essays by Rhodes, well-known New Zealand jeweller Warwick Freeman, French writer and curator Benjamin Lignel, and University of Queensland anthropologist Diana Young.

Original language	English
Place of Publication	Melbourne, Vic, Australia
Publisher	Gallery Funaki
Size	dimensions variable
Publication status	Published - 2018
Event	Making Faces - A Jewellery Playbook - Gallery Funaki, Melbourne, Australia Duration: 13 Nov 2018 → 8 Dec 2018 https://galleryfunaki.com.au/exhibitions/making-faces-jewellery-playbook/

Access to Document

https://galleryfunaki.com.au/exhibitions/making-faces-jewellery-playbook/

4 Commissioned or Visual Artwork

'Making Faces' - SM - 'Rewriting the Playbook'
van Kouswijk, M. (Artist), 2021
Research output: Non-textual form › Commissioned or Visual Artwork › Other
'Making Faces' - SM - 'A Jewellery Playbook. ACT 3'
van Kouswijk, M. (Artist), 2019
Research output: Non-textual form › Commissioned or Visual Artwork › Other
'Pearl Grey', 'No Worry Beads', 'Making Faces' - SM - 'MasterMakers'
van Kouswijk, M. (Artist), 2019
Research output: Non-textual form › Commissioned or Visual Artwork › Other

DESIGNERS INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND BEST DESIGN AWARDS: 'Making Faces - A jewellery playbook'
van Kouswijk, M.
1/01/19
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other

Cite this

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title = "Making Faces",

abstract = "Research BackgroundThe dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on using conventional materials and methodologies that require a level of skill and mastery. Manon van Kouswijk{\textquoteright}s research looks at archetypal jewellery forms and motifs and questions how they can be extended and transformed.Research ContributionMaking Faces - a jewellery playbook frames jewellery pieces as serial objects and uses a cross-disciplinary and unconventional methodology to activate the pieces beyond a static exhibition. The work consists of 65 beaded necklaces and an artist book. When worn, the necklaces are strands of colour-segmented beads. However, when not draped around the neck, each necklace can be transformed to create the shape of a face. The personification of each necklace is invisible when the piece is worn making the wearable portrait a secret companion known only to the wearer. The beautifully tactile artist book that accompanies each exhibition of the necklaces presents the range of portraits hidden with the configuration of beads. Curator Kate Rhodes describes the work as {\textquoteleft}document(ing) fleeting experiments{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}a proposal for the idea that contemporary jewellery will offer different conceptual leaps and experiences, not only the experience of adornment.{\textquoteright}Research SignificanceThe project was exhibited globally in major contemporary jewellery galleries; Gallery SO in London, Gallery RA in Amsterdam, The National in New Zealand, and Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. Idea Books in The Netherlands distributed the award-winning artist publication internationally. Designed by highly esteemed graphic designers Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes the publication was described by judges of the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards as a 'testament to an art book that requires a close relationship between the artist and the designer'. The publication included essays by Rhodes, well-known New Zealand jeweller Warwick Freeman, French writer and curator Benjamin Lignel, and University of Queensland anthropologist Diana Young.",

author = "{van Kouswijk}, Manon",

note = "65 necklaces and an artist publication (A4, 50 pages) Research background: 'Making Faces - a jewellery playbook' is a contemporary jewellery project that makes use of an artist publication to show aspects of the jewellery objects through photography, printing and writing. Sixty-five beaded necklaces can be displayed in the shape of a face, an aspect of the object that is not visible when it is worn on the body. The artist publication that is part of this work reveals the appearance of the necklaces as faces and in multiple other forms. The publication visualises ways of playing, displaying and wearing the necklaces, and as such these two parts of the work are inseparable. Research contribution: The dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on the use of innovative materials and making processes that require a certain skill and mastery. Within my work I explore the potential of the serial object and the use of other media (photography, writing, the artist book) to frame the jewellery pieces and provide them with a context that activates them instead of exhibiting them as static objects. This cross-disciplinary approach to jewellery distinguishes my work from the majority of other contemporary jewellery practices. Research significance: This project will be exhibited in three major contemporary jewellery galleries, Gallery Funaki in Melbourne Australia, Gallery SO in London UK, Gallery RA in Amsterdam The Netherlands, and as such it will reach a significant audience of people that are specifically interested in the developments within this field of practice. I have collaborated on the artist publication with a professional photographer (Fred Kroh) and 2 prolific graphic designers (Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes). The writers that have contributed to it are Kate Rhodes (curator at Design Hub Melbourne) Warwick Freeman (well-know jeweller from New Zealand) Diana Young (anthropologist at University of Queensland) and Benjamin Lignel (French writer and curator). Idea Books in Amsterdam will take on the international distribution of the artist publication. ; Making Faces - A Jewellery Playbook ; Conference date: 13-11-2018 Through 08-12-2018",

year = "2018",

language = "English",

publisher = "Gallery Funaki",

address = "Australia",

url = "https://galleryfunaki.com.au/exhibitions/making-faces-jewellery-playbook/",

}

TY - ADVS

T1 - Making Faces

A2 - van Kouswijk, Manon

N1 - 65 necklaces and an artist publication (A4, 50 pages) Research background: 'Making Faces - a jewellery playbook' is a contemporary jewellery project that makes use of an artist publication to show aspects of the jewellery objects through photography, printing and writing. Sixty-five beaded necklaces can be displayed in the shape of a face, an aspect of the object that is not visible when it is worn on the body. The artist publication that is part of this work reveals the appearance of the necklaces as faces and in multiple other forms. The publication visualises ways of playing, displaying and wearing the necklaces, and as such these two parts of the work are inseparable. Research contribution: The dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on the use of innovative materials and making processes that require a certain skill and mastery. Within my work I explore the potential of the serial object and the use of other media (photography, writing, the artist book) to frame the jewellery pieces and provide them with a context that activates them instead of exhibiting them as static objects. This cross-disciplinary approach to jewellery distinguishes my work from the majority of other contemporary jewellery practices. Research significance: This project will be exhibited in three major contemporary jewellery galleries, Gallery Funaki in Melbourne Australia, Gallery SO in London UK, Gallery RA in Amsterdam The Netherlands, and as such it will reach a significant audience of people that are specifically interested in the developments within this field of practice. I have collaborated on the artist publication with a professional photographer (Fred Kroh) and 2 prolific graphic designers (Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes). The writers that have contributed to it are Kate Rhodes (curator at Design Hub Melbourne) Warwick Freeman (well-know jeweller from New Zealand) Diana Young (anthropologist at University of Queensland) and Benjamin Lignel (French writer and curator). Idea Books in Amsterdam will take on the international distribution of the artist publication.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Research BackgroundThe dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on using conventional materials and methodologies that require a level of skill and mastery. Manon van Kouswijk’s research looks at archetypal jewellery forms and motifs and questions how they can be extended and transformed.Research ContributionMaking Faces - a jewellery playbook frames jewellery pieces as serial objects and uses a cross-disciplinary and unconventional methodology to activate the pieces beyond a static exhibition. The work consists of 65 beaded necklaces and an artist book. When worn, the necklaces are strands of colour-segmented beads. However, when not draped around the neck, each necklace can be transformed to create the shape of a face. The personification of each necklace is invisible when the piece is worn making the wearable portrait a secret companion known only to the wearer. The beautifully tactile artist book that accompanies each exhibition of the necklaces presents the range of portraits hidden with the configuration of beads. Curator Kate Rhodes describes the work as ‘document(ing) fleeting experiments’ and ‘a proposal for the idea that contemporary jewellery will offer different conceptual leaps and experiences, not only the experience of adornment.’Research SignificanceThe project was exhibited globally in major contemporary jewellery galleries; Gallery SO in London, Gallery RA in Amsterdam, The National in New Zealand, and Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. Idea Books in The Netherlands distributed the award-winning artist publication internationally. Designed by highly esteemed graphic designers Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes the publication was described by judges of the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards as a 'testament to an art book that requires a close relationship between the artist and the designer'. The publication included essays by Rhodes, well-known New Zealand jeweller Warwick Freeman, French writer and curator Benjamin Lignel, and University of Queensland anthropologist Diana Young.

AB - Research BackgroundThe dominant mode in contemporary jewellery practice is to create unique one-off jewellery pieces with an emphasis on using conventional materials and methodologies that require a level of skill and mastery. Manon van Kouswijk’s research looks at archetypal jewellery forms and motifs and questions how they can be extended and transformed.Research ContributionMaking Faces - a jewellery playbook frames jewellery pieces as serial objects and uses a cross-disciplinary and unconventional methodology to activate the pieces beyond a static exhibition. The work consists of 65 beaded necklaces and an artist book. When worn, the necklaces are strands of colour-segmented beads. However, when not draped around the neck, each necklace can be transformed to create the shape of a face. The personification of each necklace is invisible when the piece is worn making the wearable portrait a secret companion known only to the wearer. The beautifully tactile artist book that accompanies each exhibition of the necklaces presents the range of portraits hidden with the configuration of beads. Curator Kate Rhodes describes the work as ‘document(ing) fleeting experiments’ and ‘a proposal for the idea that contemporary jewellery will offer different conceptual leaps and experiences, not only the experience of adornment.’Research SignificanceThe project was exhibited globally in major contemporary jewellery galleries; Gallery SO in London, Gallery RA in Amsterdam, The National in New Zealand, and Gallery Funaki in Melbourne. Idea Books in The Netherlands distributed the award-winning artist publication internationally. Designed by highly esteemed graphic designers Ziga Testen and Stuart Geddes the publication was described by judges of the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards as a 'testament to an art book that requires a close relationship between the artist and the designer'. The publication included essays by Rhodes, well-known New Zealand jeweller Warwick Freeman, French writer and curator Benjamin Lignel, and University of Queensland anthropologist Diana Young.

M3 - Commissioned or Visual Artwork

PB - Gallery Funaki

CY - Melbourne, Vic, Australia

T2 - Making Faces - A Jewellery Playbook

Y2 - 13 November 2018 through 8 December 2018

ER -

Making Faces

Abstract

Access to Document

Research output

'Making Faces' - SM - 'Rewriting the Playbook'

'Making Faces' - SM - 'A Jewellery Playbook. ACT 3'

'Pearl Grey', 'No Worry Beads', 'Making Faces' - SM - 'MasterMakers'

Press/Media

DESIGNERS INSTITUTE OF NEW ZEALAND BEST DESIGN AWARDS: 'Making Faces - A jewellery playbook'

Cite this