What is jewelry? Does it have to be delicate? Beautiful? Made with precious materials? Since she graduated from the jewelry program at Middlesex University, Kristina Kitchener has been trying to answer these questions, with a focus on materials. Much of what's left over from our daily lives are plastics and packaging that endure long after their original purpose has been fulfilled. And so with a nod to her parents’ “waste not” generation, Kitchener transforms these reviled objects using only the most basic processes and tools. Drawing inspiration from popular and consumer culture while referencing familiar language and recognizable jewelry forms, she deconstructs and reforms plastic bags and food packaging, exploring their potential and provoking a reassessment of their value and beauty. Kitchener coaxes ornament from the ordinary and creates a special something from almost nothing. What is jewelry? It can be whatever we want it to be.
