Jivan Astfalck: Postitons of Jewellery

Jivan Astfalck: Positions of Jewellery

In her paper, Jewellery as a Fine Art Practice, Jivan Astfalck writes about the relationship between an object and the human body in broader terms. Astfalck sets aside three positions that jewellery may acquire in relation to the human body. These positions include the First, Second and Third positions that jewellery may take on in relationship with the human body.

Pictured below is a neckpiece by Kelly Jean Conroy. Conroy has created her jewellery to take on the third position as she works towards the concept of beautifying death.  

Figure 7 – Conroy, K., Neckpiece.
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Liesbeth Den Besten: Contemporary and Art Jewellery

Liesbeth den Besten: Contemporary Art Jewellery

There is a debate that jewellery should be considered a fine art as opposed to applied art. Some say that jewellery cannot be considered art because an art piece is made to have no practical function other than its artistic expression (Den Besten 2011:9). Yes, jewellery can be used as a medium to express an artistic concept, but in the world of art, the subject of jewellery has its limitations, jewellery has a vast number of functions and it cannot exist outside the realm of the human body (Den Besten 2011:11). A jewel is made to be worn on the body or has the potential to be worn, giving it function (Den Besten 2011:11). 

The term ‘contemporary jewellery’ does not necessarily speak about the time span that the jewellery is created in also the modern concepts that the jewellery pieces express. “Contemporary jewellery indicates that it is made in the now and that it is ‘of our time’ whereas it actually covers a period of time that spans at least forty-five years” (Den Besten 2011:9)

A contemporary brooch by Sharon Church