'BIG: JEWELLERY FROM THE 1970S AND 1980S'

摘要

My first thought upon viewing "BIG" was, "They're not kidding!" Many pieces in this delightful show of Canadian jewelry from the 1970s and 1980s seem positively massive compared to the more discreetly sized work prevalent today. Curators Jean Johnson and Van McKenzie sensitively arranged pieces according to visual themes, and included work by non-Canadians to represent the international origins of the New Jewelry movement. Sandra Noble Goss's Red Pendant sets a circular theme for the first display case. A large copper disc with a square patinated brass center is suspended on raw silk that accentuates the work's rugged appeal. A brooch by American Charon Kransen combines a round painterly element with wood and wire, to create a Rauschenberg-ish assemblage. Charles Lewton-Brain's gigantic industrial-flavored bracelet of pierced brass is accentuated by rubber and Colorcore discs and knobs. Sized at the limits of wearability, this piece leads to the observation that the objects in "BIG" came from the collections of artists themselves, from fellow artists, and from craft dealers and curators. Selling those outside the inner circle on experimental body art is a tough job, so it's a good thing we support our own!