Ring and Box no.1

BACKGROUND Although refining a life's work is not an easy task for any maker, as she pointed out, curator (and jeweller) Susan Cohn contacted leading international jewellers requesting a maximum of 7 images that each felt best reflected their practice. From these thousands of images Cohn selected 186 pieces from 126 artists to be shown in Unexpected Pleasures: The Art and Design of Contemporary Jewellery. The calibre of the work is high and the range of technical skills broad, offering much to consider in the artistic and research aspects of contemporary jewellery. CONTRIBUTION In having contemporary jewellery seen, represented and regarded in the context of art, not simply as a commodity or accessory the works by Edgoose, which experiment with possible new significations of the craft object beyond traditional notions are exemplary. The ambition for the research in the ring and box series is to broaden perceptions beyond traditional notions of the craft object as a self-contained entity. By offering the ring in a range of contexts Edgoose explores relationships between objects; between object and space; and object and viewer. The ring as a traditional craft object is already well-layered with meanings. But what is a ring when off the hand? The work investigates and challenges our perception of how craft objects appear, inhabit, extend into and pertain to space and the viewer. This research is focused possible new significations of the ring in relation to its particular environment. SIGNIFICANCE This was the first international exhibition of contemporary jewellery hosted by the prestigious National Gallery of Victoria (NGV). The work sat with those of key international artists Therese Hilbert, Gijs Bakker and Fritz Maiehofer and placed the works in the context of the history of the contemporary jewellery movement. Ring in a Box was also shown at the Design Museum, London UK.