Leather – a magical material
I first started making art jewellery from naturally tanned leather in 2009 and since then I haven’t stopped. Naturally tanned leather is a material that never ceases to amaze and intrigue me. I can create art jewellery with sharp and exact shapes that look heavy but are surprisingly light when you wear them. I like to experiment with old leather shaping techniques in my mission to add a contemporary expression to a classic craft tradition. With the right touch (and quite a lot of stubbornness) the leather transforms into the desired shape.
In the Building Blocks Series, I aimed to combine structured and controlled shapes with a chaotic, organic flow. The result is art jewellery that is surreal and bold, lightweight and wearable.
About the collection
In the autumn of 2012, I was busy writing a book about silversmith Kerstin Öhlin Lejonklou. In 2013, Kerstin celebrated her 50th anniversary as a silversmith, and in connection with this we compiled stories and narratives from her captivating professional life. Kerstin has worked almost exclusively in metal with a strong inclination towards geometric shapes, primarily the cube. It was an exciting and intense project, and when the book was finally completed I felt a strong need to tackle the shape of the cube myself. The cube found its way underneath my skin, so to speak.
Presentation
Building Blocks was first exhibited for the exhibition (ig)nobel in Munich during Schmuck Week 2013.
The collection has been presented by Charon Kransen Arts New York and Platina Stockholm and is featured in the book “Contemporary Swedish Art Jewellery” by Inger Wästberg. A bracelet from the series is in the permanent collection of Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft in Gothenburg.
