• Abstract and Figures
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Schwartz 1924 The idea for this exhibition, which explores the crossover of art into jewellery, came about during a conversation I had with my mother, Gail Schwartz. Why don’t we ask ten top South African artists to collaborate with Schwartz Jewellers to create a collection of artist-designed jewellery pieces? The idea stuck, and here we are. It has been an immense privilege for Gail and I to work so closely with Norman Catherine, Marco Cianfanelli, Michael Frampton, Faiza Galdhari, Diana Hyslop, Loren Kaplan, Dylan Lewis, Senzeni Marasela, Karel Nel and Walter Oltmann, all distinguished and respected artists. I am delighted at the unique range of artist- designed jewellery pieces that resulted. Each piece is the synthesis of individual artistic genius and the know-how that epitomises Schwartz Jewellers. Gail, Robert and I are delighted in welcoming you to this exhibition of artist-designed jewellery pieces, handmade in Johannesburg. The information panels on each artist are there to offer greater insight into the pieces on show, especially the artists who conceived these luxurious objects and their working methods. A book is also available through Standard Bank Galleries. We would like to extend our most sincere and warm thanks to all those who have worked on this project, especially the wonderful team at Standard Bank, and in particular Barbara Freemantle and Cliff Shain for the photographs, and importantly, the late Professor Alan Crump who was my professor at the University of Witwatersrand Fine Arts Department in the 1980s, who supported and enabled my proposal for this exhibition. Isa Schwartz Gesseau www.schwartzjewellers.com contact: 011 783 1717 / 083 600 4030 / [email protected] Norman Catherine (b. 1949, East London) studied graphic design at the East London Technical College Art School, but dropped out to work on his first solo exhibition, arranged by Cecil Skotnes and held at the now defunct Herbert Evans Gallery in Johannesburg in 1969. His work is held in numerous prominent collections, notably the Johannesburg Art Gallery, South African National Gallery – Cape Town, BHP Billiton – Johannesburg, Reserve Bank of South Africa – Pretoria, Museum of Modern Art and Brooklyn Museum – New York, Minneapolis Institute of Arts – USA and World Economic Forum – Davos. Norman Catherine: Norman Catherine’s art lends itself perfectly to the crossover from art into jewellery. Active since the early 1970s, his work is noted for its humour and biting social commentary; in the past two decades it has also become more self-consciously psychological and introspective. His work is highly regarded and has been variously described as “sci-fi”, “comical”, “violent”, “playful”, “satirical”, “anxious” and “brutish”. Placing his work in an art historical context can be tricky – he draws on an irreverent mixture of influences,including Aboriginal, African, Mexican and Folk Art, as well as the visual language of comic books and graffiti art. Not following any movement, Norman is a true original. After briefing him of our plans, he created a number of jewellery designs on his computer that left us breathless. The first, a pendant, incorporates Norman’s familiar pairing of cat and man, and is manufactured using yellow gold and enamel. The gold plate was pierced in our workshop with a space left for the enamel work in red. We pulled 18 carat yellow gold wire, and Gail selected tapered baguette white diamonds for the man’s eyes and a natural fancy cognac pear shaped diamond for the cat’s eye. The second piece, a brooch, depicts a two-faced man confronting a demon on his shoulder. Norman uses positive and negative space so beautifully in this work, which is pierced out of white gold plate. We pavé set diamonds to accentuate the man’s silhouette with fine white diamonds and a natural black diamond eye. Marco Cianfanelli (b. 1970, Johannesburg) obtained his BA (Fine Art) from the University of Witwatersrand in 1992. Now widely collected, he started exhibiting in 1996 and has held six solo exhibitions to date. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the ABSA L’Atelier. Some of his large-scale public sculptures include Freedom Park – Pretoria, FORUM Homini at the Cradle of Humankind and Hollard Street Mall Project in central Johannesburg. Marco Cianfanelli: Renowned for his technically audacious sculptures, it may come as a surprise to learn that Marco Cianfanelli studied painting. After graduating from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1992, he began experimenting with sculpture. Marco’s sculptural works, which employ organic and manmade materials, speak to the complex qualities that define life in contemporary South Africa. Broadly speaking, they investigate the relationship between beauty and the violence of consumption and self-preservation. Characterised by his gallery as “fiercely dedicated to testing possibilities for artistic intervention in the public realm”, Marco is an enthusiastic collaborator, often working with architects and landscape designers. His interest in architecture goes beyond the functional and engages with how “we express our- selves spatially”. “The use of razor wire is extensive and its function is obvious – the emphatic and aggressive demarcation of boundary and property.” For his art into jewellery pieces Marco came to us with a variety of drawings and ideas. We excitedly opted for the barbed wire design. The symbolism is the key motif – the sharp-pointed wire barb – which is obvious in contemporary South Africa, where security is always top of mind. The ring is however an affirming piece of jewellery; small and intricate, it is also delicate and precious. Undeniably beautiful and stylish, the ring’s distinctive barbs have been capped with two Marquise white diamonds – and could, if necessary, be used as protection. Marco’s second piece, a barbed wire necklace, was the outcome of some playful research at our workshop. We first created a maquette out of florists wire and then crafted the finished necklace out of white gold. The necklace features handmade 18 carat white gold wire, which was drawn in our work- shop. The barbs have been created using highly polished, white gold rhodium-plated wire and are capped with small round brilliant cut diamonds. Michael Frampton (b. 1965, Johannesburg) is a graduate of the Johannesburg Art, Ballet, Drama and Music School, where he graduated with distinctions in painting, graphics, sculpture and design. In 1990, aged 25, he established the design agency Framptons and later founded DDB South Africa, which became part of the DDB network in 1999. Mike sold his business in 2009 and is now a full-time artist. He has held solo shows of his art in Johannesburg, Cape Town and New York. Michael Frampton: An incurable raconteur, art offered Michael Frampton a refuge. Diagnosed with dyslexia at an early age he found art – a non verbal, expressive pursuit that does not entirely rely on codified logic.A committed “people watcher” who likes to draw what he sees, Michael’s fine charcoal nudes are a testament to his skill as a draughtsman. He is an equally skilled painter. Michael is also a keen photographer, digital technology fan, online editorialist and entrepreneur. In the 1990s his company Framptons flourished, transforming from a small design company into a full-service advertising and marketing business, ploughing some of his windfall into the country’s then under-appreciated contemporary art scene. Michael’s name will forever be associated with the early careers of artists Kendell Geers and Candice Breitz. Michael’s publishing company, Chalkham Hill Press, published Geers’ first monograph, Argott, and also the widely referenced art book Grey Areas. Michael chose to use slate slabs as his inspiration for this contribution. Working with Gail, Michael managed to find material to stand in for the slate. Pyrites is a pale brass-yellow mineral, more commonly known as fool’s gold, which was used to make marcasite jewellery. It looks like slate but has a more precious quality. Michael’s pyrites pendant features an engraved image of a female form that has been filled with metallic pigment. The pendant is designed to be worn with a black leather plaited necklace that ties behind the nape of the neck. The leather plaited necklace is capped at each end with two tiny dice-shaped pyrites stones featuring a simple line engraved into the pyrites surface, in metallic yellow gold pigment, with the other in metallic white gold pigment. These dice hang from the back, but can be reversed and worn in front. One of the dice is removable, enabling the wearer to slip the main pendant from the leather. Faiza Galdhari (b. 1970, Durban) graduated with BA (Fine Art) from the University of Durban-Westville in Durban in 1992, and received her MA (Fine Art) degree in 1999. She has exhibited widely, notably in collaboration with Bronwyn Findlay and Daina Mabunda in 2002 and on curator Zayd Minty’s traveling group exhibition, A Place Called Home. Her work is held in collections of the Durban Art Gallery and Tatham Art gallery in Pietermaritzburg. Faiza Galdhari: An accomplished printmaker, Faiza Galdhari’s practice as an artist is rooted in her experiences and identity as a Muslim woman. Faiza has always actively pursued a Muslim way of life. “My participation in this project began by attempting to visualise and conceive of a piece of jewellery which would be testimony to the concept of Imaan as an intrinsic part of the Muslim faith. I thought of the five fingers of the hand as relating to the five pillars of Islam. I then thought it would be fitting and entirely appropriate to design a bangle, which would signify Islam in its totality, linked in some way to the ring worn on the index finger of the right hand. I needed for it to be a spiritual exercise, an affirmation of my faith and its growth.

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