L6 Proposal
I am keen to continue exploring the possibilities of microbial jewellery, using bacteria-infused resin from a variety of sources in my designs, and so reconceptualising the narrative around bacteria. I want my jewellery pieces to be more than adornments but act as conversation starters.
I aim to embed a personal narrative in my work, while inviting viewers to engage with both the aesthetic and contextual themes of my designs. I seek to explore how these narratives can inform designs, similar to the Biojewellery Project (Thompson, Stott and Kerridge, 2006), and develop ways to use the bacteria as a medium, focusing my practice on the question How can nature make jewellery? (Manheim, 2009).
Rather than using only resin to make stones, I hope to experiment with capturing the bacteria in the form that it grows and combining it with different materials, including textiles (Williams and Collet, 2020). With this in mind, I want to expand the materials and techniques I use, and explore these microbial materials (Franklin and Till, 2018) to include the use of dyeing methods and biomimicry (Myers, 2012).
I aim to pair traditional techniques, such as O’Shea’s enamelling which is inspired by natural forms, or the stone setting techniques used by Brown (Eileen O'Shea Designs, 2024; Megan Brown Jewellery, 2024). While I tend to shy away from colour and 3D elements in my designs, I am also inspired by Cuyàs’ colourful designs (Brown, 2011), as well as Plesen’s cultivated bacteria, grown with a range of colours (Casbia, 2024). I aim to incorporate these techniques into my own practice (Fiscarelli, 2019).
Bibliography:
Brown, G. (2011) ‘Ramon Puig Cuyàs: The Invisible Horizon.’, Metalsmith, 31(2), pp. 36–41.
Casbia (2024) Dasha Plesen. Available at: https://www.casbia.com/blogs/dichroism/dasha-plesen (Accessed: 11 June 2024).
Eileen O'Shea Designs (2024) About Me. Available at: https://www.youluckygirl.org/ (Accessed: 22 May 2024).
Fiscarelli, E.V. (2019) ‘The colours of bacteria and fungi’, Microbiologia Medica 2019, 34(8631), pp. 29–31.
Franklin, K. and Till, C. (2018) Radical matter: rethinking materials for a sustainable future. New York, New York: Thames & Hudson Inc.
Manheim, J. (2009) ‘Found in Nature’, in J. Manheim (ed.) Sustainable Jewellery. London: A. & C. Black, pp. 99-116
Megan Brown Jewellery (2024) About. Available at: https://www.meganbrownjewellery.com/about (Accessed: 9 June 2024).
Myers, W. (2012) Bio design: nature, science, creativity. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd.
Thompson, I., Stott, N. and Kerridge, T. (2006) Biojewellery. London: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, King’s College London, pp. 8–29.
Williams, N. and Collet, C. (2020) “Biodesign and the Allure of “Grow-made” Textiles: An Interview with Carole Collet,” GeoHumanities, 7(1), pp. 345–357. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/2373566X.2020.1816141.
List of Figures:
Figure 1: O'Shea, E. (2024) Orange Lichen on a Rock Brooch [Brass, Enamel] Available at: https://www.youluckygirl.org/product-page/orange-lichen-on-a-rock-brooch (Accessed 15 June 2024).
Figure 2: Brown, M. (no date) Ruby Ring [18ct Red and Yellow Gold, 3.5ct Emerald Cut Ruby, 0.17ct Princess Cut Diamonds] Available at: https://www.meganbrownjewellery.com/product-page/ruby-ring (Accessed 15 June 2024).
Figure 3: Cuyàs, R.P. (2017) Maps to Get Lost in the Forest [Nickle Silver, Enamel on Steel, Granite] Available at: https://www.marzee.nl/ramon-puig-cuyas/ (Accessed 15 June 2024).
Figure 4: Plesen,D. (2023) [Agar Jelly, Cultivated Bacteria] Available at: https://www.coeval-magazine.com/coeval/dasha-plesen (Accessed 15 June 2024).
De Beers
In May 2024, I had the opportunity to visit De Beers in New York and speak with Daniela Balzano-Hull, the Director. Although Daniela isn't a craftsman, she has been overseeing and influencing the company's creative decisions for over 12 years. During our meeting, she showed me a variety of designs and explained the thought processes and decisions that go into each product, many of which are high-end, one-of-a-kind couture pieces.
I shared my interest in modular jewellery with her, and she handpicked several pieces that featured modular elements. This experience gave me insight into how different mechanisms function and helped me appreciate the finer details. For example, Daniela demonstrated various safety clasps and clips used to secure drop stones.
Thinking about what I would like to do after graduation, I want to continue exploring the thought of jewellery design, as well as craft.
Serpentine Jewels
Serpentine Jewels is a high-end, bespoke jewellery brand founded by Ali Galgano in Greenwich, Connecticut. She works directly with clients and designs one-off pieces, as well as designing a core collection. Ali primarily uses the highest quality stones she can source (all of which are sourced herself), and her designs are made by jewellers in New York and London.
While engagement rings are her primary focus, over the past five years, Ali has been experimenting with more colourful and quirky designs inspired by Art Deco and maximalism. These designs have been showcased at events like New York Jewellery Week.
I had the opportunity to go and visit Ali at the Serpentine Townhouse in Greenwich, where she spoke about her different designs and more about the job she does as a designer and gemmologist.
One of her most popular designs are her ring jackets. These jackets open and sit around a person's ring, transforming it into a new design. She also showed me some brand-new modular earring jackets, which can extend the length of an earring, or even be worn behind the ear. I was inspired by the craftsmanship and process of these designs, with challenges like how can you fit a hinge seamlessly into the designs, and how can these huge rings still be comfortable and wearable.
Ali also showed me various stones that she planned to work with, and some rough designs. As mentioned before, she is not a jeweller herself (however, she does know how to do the basics), but she does have a degree in gemmology, which I feel shows in her designs. She highlights stones by using different stone settings, and other stones, something I plan to explore in my practice.
Ali was also kind enough to offer me an internship in Greenwich for Summer 2025.
American Museum of Natural History
While in New York, I visited the American Museum of Natural History, which has an extensive collection of gems and minerals, both in their natural forms and as polished, cut stones. I was particularly intrigued by the idea of combining raw, uncut gems with polished ones. Looking at these stones in their natural forms reminded me of themes from my bacteria project, and has led me to consider how the contextual themes in my work could integrate ‘raw’ bacteria with raw stones.
While there, I also saw a display of diamonds reacting with UV light. Only some diamonds glow with UV light, for example, some yellow diamonds appear lime green. While I may not be able to use rare diamonds like this in my work at the moment, I am questioning how using UV light can change a piece of jewellery. I feel as if UV light also has a slight medical and biological feel to it, which could complement my bacteria themes.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I looked at various pieces of jewellery from throughout history. This has made me question the aesthetics of the jewellery I’d like to create. With my bacteria project, I looked briefly into the themes of Victorian hair jewellery, as the themes of connections between individuals are the same. I saw a few different styles of hair brooches, which had braided hair in them. It has made me think about the possibilities of ‘painting’ or ‘drawing’ with bacteria and then setting those in resin.
I also saw different enamelling techniques, specifically Clossione enamelling. I want to experiment with these techniques as if feel the colourful elements could compliment my bacteria nicely.
While there, I was able to look at the 'Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion' exhibition, which included both pieces from the 'Gardens of Time' MET Gala 2024, and archived pieces. With the inspiration being nature, I found myself relating to these designs more, and imagining how I could use bacteria in textiles as well as jewellery.
One piece in particular was this 'fish dress' where the dress includes a huge necklace attached to the dress which moves as the wearer walks. This fish motif reminded me of a pair of Tory Birch earrings and has made me question if I can size up my designs and relate them to larger, exhibition pieces.
Artist Research
Dasha Plesen
Daria Fedorova is a multidisciplinary artist who has developed a unique approach to cultivating microorganisms artistically. By incorporating various additives, she combines microbiological methods with artistic expression. Her work is combines elements of the “grotesque, bizarre, romantic, ironic, hyperbolic, and extraordinary”. (Dasha Plesen, 2024, Para.1)
I’m instantly intruded by the work of Daria, the range of colours used, the styles of the bacteria grown, and how the bacteria has grown from the colour of the agar jelly underneath. This use of altering microbiology is fascinating to me and pushes the idea of combining microbiology and craft. I will be testing this use of dyes in my next round of cultivation, as well as experimenting with any additives that may alter the way bacteria grows, for example, sugar.
Casbia (2024) Dasha Plesen. Available at: https://www.casbia.com/blogs/dichroism/dasha-plesen (Accessed: 29 July 2024)
Dasha Plesen (2024) About Artist. Available at: https://dashaplesen.com/#about-artist (Accessed: 29 July 2024)
Eileen O’Shea
Eileen O’Shea is a jeweller who primarily works with silver, semi-precious stones and lead-free kiln-fired enamels (Eileen O'Shea Designs, 2024). A large collection of her work is inspired by lichen, which is simply a type of algae that has grown along the filaments of various fungi species.
Her work relates to my practice by exploring themes of growth and fungi. While my previous work has focused on using actual bacteria in my pieces, I am interested in incorporating more illustrative elements to represent and complement the bacteria I use.
Her use of enamelling is also intriguing. I'm inspired by how the enamel behaves at the boundaries between colours, merging yet not mixing, which reminds me of the edges of some bacterial colonies I've grown on agar plates. This combination of colours and exploring boundaries could influence how I incorporate these visual elements into my work.
Eileen O'Shea Designs (2024) About Me. Available at: https://www.youluckygirl.org/ (Accessed: 22 May 2024).
Miriam Arentz
Miriam Arentz is a jewellery artist based in Berlin (Klimt02, 2024). Many of her pieces use an engraving technique called Guilloche, a technique that ‘combines mechanical engraving and translucent enamels to create surface embellishment’ (Victoria and Albert Museum, 2023, Para. 1). The way she combines historical techniques with modern designs is what has drawn me to her work and is something I have been trying to incorporate into my own practice more since ‘Tradition and Innovation’. Although I usually avoid using colour in my own pieces, this year, I want to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with more colour. I already plan to enhance my enamelling skills and combine this with experiments using coloured agar jelly for cultivating bacteria and using different coloured stones.
Her use of boundaries and separate components is also inspiring. I'm fascinated by how she applies different enamels and textures to each individual piece, which, when brought together, create complex and diverse designs. In some of her works, she even incorporates 3D elements, with certain pieces being raised or puffed out. This adds dimension to her pieces, something I feel is currently lacking in my own work.
Klimt02 (2024) Miriam Arentz, Klimt02. Available at: https://klimt02.net/jewellers/miriam-arentz (Accessed: 8 July 2024).
Victoria and Albert Museum (2023) How was it made? Guilloché enamelling, Victoria and Albert Museum. Available at: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/how-was-it-made-guilloch%C3%A9-enamelling#:~:text=Guilloch%C3%A9%20is%20a%20highly%20decorative (Accessed: 8 July 2024).
Sinae Baik
Sinae Baik is a South Korean jewellery artist whose practice is centred on cloisonné enamelling (Studio Cloisonne, 2023, Para. 1). Her work implements the use of enamel to compliment the colours of the metal and utilises cloisonne enamelling to depict stories. Baik's pieces often feature illustrations made from silver wire, which is then covered with different types of enamel. These illustrations range from botanical themes to hands and feet, to people.
The use of this technique is different to what I have seen before. Usually, this enamelling technique is used with various colours to create almost a stained glass window effect, however, Baik uses it to depict people and their lives. I’m fascinated by how this can relate to my own work, and how I can represent people and their lives through storytelling, colour and the use of bacteria – and show the difference between individuals.
As well as that, many of her designs include 2 to 3 different elements or sections combined together to produce layered and dynamic designs. The use of organic shapes is something I have used in my work before, however, this has sparked ideas of combining multiple shapes inspired by my Petri dishes into my work. I like how the pieces are layered, but don’t look too clunky or busy, which is something I have found hard to do in my designs, hence why I have avoided it in my work
Studio Cloisonne (2023) Artist, Sinaebaik. Available at: https://www.sinaebaik.com/artist (Accessed: 3 August 2024).
Valdis Brože
Valdis Brože is a jewellery artist based in Riga, Latvia (Brože, 2024) Known for his minimalist and modern approach, Brože's work often features clean lines, geometric shapes, and features almost an architectural quality. He frequently uses silver, combining it with other materials like enamel, wood, and precious stones to create striking contrast and texture in his pieces. His jewellery is often characterised by its elegance and simplicity, making it both timeless and contemporary.
Brože’s designs often explore themes of balance, harmony, and symmetry, drawing inspiration from the natural world as well as urban environments. This relates to the shift I’m hoping to make in my practice, not only focusing on people but on surroundings and themes of growth in both a personal sense and natural ones.
I am drawn to the circular, clean structures used in his work, specifically the magnifying glasses used in his 2019 JOYA collection, as this reminded me of Petri dishes. It has made me think about the use of magnifying glasses in my own work. Could I use these above one of the bacteria stones to highlight the complexity of the colony? And could having the magnifying glass hanging from a piece introduce a level of human interaction and playfulness into my work?
Brože, V. (2024) About, Valdis Brože. Available at: https://www.valdis-broze.com/about (Accessed: 4 August 2024)
Gabrielle Gould
Gabrielle Gould is an American-based jewellery artist whose work draws heavily from the natural world, particularly from flora and fauna. Her jewellery often features intricate representations of birds, insects, flowers, and leaves, capturing delicate details and textures, as well as hints to the shoreline and coast where she finds her found materials (Gould, 2014; Klimt02, 2022)
I am inspired by the composition of many of these pieces, including the length of the necklaces, with the handing details all around the chain, the simple yet elegant clasps, and the use of combining natural materials with silver and enamel. I also like how the silver is often oxidised instead of having a high polish, adding diversity into her wide collection.
Gould, G. (2014) Gabrielle Gould Jewelry, Gabrielle Gould Jewelry. Available at: https://www.gabriellegould.com/about (Accessed: 5 August 2024)
Klimt02 (2022) Gabrielle Gould, Klimt02. Available at: https://klimt02.net/jewellers/gabrielle-gould (Accessed: 5 August 2024)
Åsa Lockner
Åsa Lockner is a Swedish jewellery artist known for her contemporary designs that combine simplicity with intricate detail. Based in Stockholm, Lockner's work often incorporates clean, minimalist lines with delicate textures, making her pieces elegant and versatile. Her approach to jewellery design is heavily influenced by Scandinavian aesthetics, which emphasises functionality, simplicity, and a connection to nature (Lockner, 2023).
She often uses materials such as silver, gold, and bronze, while also sometimes including precious stones for added contrast and depth. Her jewellery tends to explore themes of balance, nature, and personal expression (Klimt02, 2024), which can be seen in the compositions of her work. Many of her pieces have hanging structures or include pieces of natural material, which is what I hope to include in my practice.
One of Lockner's signature styles involves the use of organic shapes and forms that mimic elements found in the natural world, such as leaves, branches, and other botanical designs. This use of natural and organic forms is something I have used in the past, however here it is used with natural materials as well. I plan to experiment with the ways I can grow bacteria and how I can potentially have it grow onto natural forms, resulting in both elements included into my work.
Klimt02 (2024) Åsa Lockner, Klimt02. Available at: https://klimt02.net/jewellers/asa-lockner (Accessed: 9 August 2024)
Lockner , Å. (2023) ABOUT, asalockner. Available at: https://asalockner.se/about-2/ (Accessed: 9 August 2024)
Lital Mendel
Lital Mendel is an Israeli jewellery artist who uses an innovative approach to jewellery design and making. Her collection ‘Out of Nothing’ uses a combination of traditional craft and modern aesthetics. This collection plays on the idea of what jewellery is and challenges notions of if jewellery needs to be made with precious materials (Venice Design Week, 2019). Exploring structure, form, movement and material, allows wearers to challenge conventional notions of jewellery, and if these factors have changed, then will it still be recognised as jewellery? (Lital Mendel Jewellery, 2024)
The ’Out of Nothing’ collection utilises resin, as a replacement for traditional stone setting techniques. The resin results in the “objects shimmer(ing) with a familiar blueish hue which simulates a glinting gem with the purpose of easing the brain into accepting the objects as fine jeweller” (Lital Mendel Jewellery, 2024, Para. 3). The resin also leaves the stones in a way that makes them feel as if they are floating, which I feel continues to challenge the notion of jewellery. When I first think of precious stones being used in jewellery, then I think of stone setting techniques that keep them secure from falling out, however, the resin plays on the idea of security and makes the stones feel vulnerable.
Within my practice, I would like to continue using resin as an unconventional medium for my work. While there are environmental factors to take into consideration, I will continue to research bio-resins, and while they can’t be used for thicker pieces, the majority of them can be used with smaller pieces, around 2mm thick.
Lital Mendel Jewellery (2024) Out of Nothing, Litalmendel.com. Available at: http://litalmendel.com/collections/out-of-nothing/ (Accessed: 10 August 2024)
Venice Design Week (2019) Lital Mendel, Venice Design Week. Available at: https://www.venicedesignweek.com/lital-mendel/ (Accessed: 10 August 2024)
Min-Ji Cho
Min-Ji Cho is a contemporary jewellery artist originally from Korea, who is currently based in Munich (Min Ji Cho Jewellery, 2024) She is known for her innovative approach to materials, often challenging traditional ideas of preciousness and aesthetic value, similar themes to that of Lital Mendel.
Cho's work often blends unconventional materials with classic elements, as shown in her "Glove's Dream" series, where she transformed rubber gloves into jewellery pieces adorned with precious stones, like pearls. This series showcased her ability to develop everyday items into embellished wearables. Her work often explores themes of individuality and nonconformity, allowing materials to evolve into unexpected and unique forms. No two pieces are alike, and her creations reflect a strong commitment to experimentation and craftsmanship (Blay, 2009)
Her more recent work focuses on stone settings, and the surface texture of her rings, embracing a ‘spirit of nonconformity’ (Klimt02, 2023, Para. 2).
Throughout L6 I hope to push the boundaries of what can be considered jewellery by using bacteria. Seeing Min Ji Cho’s work has inspired me to look at using other materials too, potentially something that is associated with bacteria, for example, hand sanitiser bottles.
Blay, P. (2009) Rubber Glove Jewelry by Min-ji Cho, The Beading Gem. Available at: https://www.beadinggem.com/2009/05/rubber-glove-jewelry-by-min-ji-cho.html (Accessed: 13 August 2024)
Klimt02 (2023) Min-Ji Cho, Klimt02.net. Available at: https://klimt02.net/jewellers/min-ji-cho (Accessed: 13 August 2024)
Min Ji Cho Jewellery (2024) About, Minjicho.com. Available at: http://www.minjicho.com/ (Accessed: 13 August 2024)
Sofia Björkman
Sofia Björkman is a Swedish jewellery artist who creates large-scale jewellery pieces. Due to her background in metal art (Berman, 2020), it is clear that these large-scale techniques have translated into her jewellery practice nowadays, resulting in pieces like huge brooches. She frequently incorporates unconventional materials like plastics, fabric, and even organic materials in her jewellery pieces, something I hope to experiment more with (Cummins, 2015)
The fibrous jewellery pieces that she often creates with a 3D pen or PLA pen, are what drew me to her work, reminding me of the bacteria I have previously grown. This has sparked ideas of how could I represent peoples individual bacteria, without actually including it? And how can I experiment with scale?
Berman, S. (2020) Art Jewelry in Sweden: Stockholm’s Platina Gallery with Sofia Björkman Artist and Gallery Owner, Jewelry Journey. Available at: https://thejewelryjourney.com/transcripts/sofiaborkman/ (Accessed: 15 August 2024)
Cummins, S. (2015) Sofia Björkman—The Artist, Sofia Björkman—The Curator - Art Jewelry Forum, Art Jewelry Forum. Available at: https://artjewelryforum.org/interviews/sofia-bja%C2%B6rkmanaethe-artist-sofia-bja%C2%B6rkmanaethe-curator/ (Accessed: 15 August 2024)
Finland
In July 2024, I travelled to Pälkäne, Finland, where I stayed in my family’s rantasauna. Located in the forest and sat on the edge of a lake, this rantasauna has been a part of my family for generations. My Finnish heritage is a significant part of my life and this is an important place to me. It allows me to disconnect from the outside world, providing a quiet and secluded space. During my time there, I was able to reflect on the work I have made as a maker, and what I would like to make next.
Textures
During my time there, I was inspired by the variety of textures that surrounded me in the forest. I often find it challenging to incorporate texture into my work, and I tend to default to a high-polish finish. This year, I aim to break away from that habit and experiment with introducing more texture into my pieces, particularly if it’s directly related to the location where I've collected the bacteria samples.
Beta Project Presentation Feedback
Readings
3rd October 2024
Bio Art - William Myers
As part of my research, I decided to read the book Bio Art by William Myers, which features over 60 contemporary artists who merge lab techniques with traditional making. At this stage in my project, I was feeling a bit stuck on what direction to take, so I thought that learning about the work of other artists might spark some inspiration and help me navigate where I wanted my project to go.
BioDesign: Nature, Science, Creativity - William Myers
I also decided to read Myers other book, BioDesign, specifically looking at artists who use bacteria as a form of communication in their work.
Health and Safety
As part of my research, I had to research the health and safety aspects of culturing bacteria at home, including the use of nutrient agar powder.
I use two different types of Petri dishes in my work, pre-made nutrient agar plates from eBay and homemade plates using nutrient agar powder from a biology website. Because of this, I had to find the MSDS forms for both types of plates, to make sure that I was not putting myself at risk when using these.
After reading both of these, I was concerned that I should be wearing a mask when using the agar powder to make agar jelly. However, I found that I only need to wear a particle if I am using this on a large, industrial scale. As this is not the case then I do not need to wear a mask, however, I feel as if it would be a good idea to do so.
Homemade Plates
Pre-made Plates
Project Direction
12th October 2024
At this point in the project, I became extremely lost with what I wanted to create. It was important to me for my project to still be very heavily jewellery-based, as this is what I plan to do after graduation.
I was torn between documenting either people or places, as I felt that trying to do both wouldn't allow me to do either well. I realised I needed to choose one direction for the project.
After my tutorial with Mark, I made different mindmaps to put all of my thoughts on paper and visualise the pros and cons of each idea.
One major drawback of documenting specific places was the challenge of travelling and collecting samples. I had considered reaching out to relatives in locations like Finland to gather samples for me. However, the area I was interested in would be difficult to access, especially with snow expected in the coming weeks. Unless my relatives could get there within the next few days, collecting those samples seemed unlikely.
Documenting people however, could be a lot easier, as I could send out sample boxes where people could send their samples back to me.
I also wasn't sure how to go about the colour in my work. While I really enjoyed using the dyes in my agar, I felt as if it made the bacteria slightly lost. This could just be something I need to practice with, however, I wanted to be able to include colour in my work without having to rely on the bacteria. As well as that, I wasn't sure how natural dying might interfere with the growth of the bacteria, potentially cultivating unwanted microorganisms from the dye samples themselves. Because of these uncertainties, I decided to put this idea on hold for now, knowing that I can always revisit it if I choose to explore natural dyeing in my work later on.
I decided to focus on a project where I retell the stories of jewellery through bacteria. My idea is to sample people's sentimental jewellery, incorporating resin stones or possibly even the exposed bacteria—if I can find a safe way to do so. I would then learn about the history and stories behind these sentimental items and create a new piece of jewellery that represents the original item I sampled.
For example, if I discover that the stones in a ring have been a family heirloom for generations, with a history of origins and travels, I would have a lot of material to explore. I could draw from a catalogue of textures, colours, and shapes to express my interpretation of these stories, while still keeping the bacteria as a central element in the design.
This approach allows me to really hone my craft and continue to practice the jewellery-making techniques that I love.
