Press Room

Collection to include Lika Behar, Denise Betesh, Roule & Company, Tony Malmed, Hannah Blount, Lilly Fitzgerald, Serhat Geridonmez, Joan Hornig, Todd Pownell, and Suneera

New York, NY (April 25, 2017)

The Store at MAD will premiere its new collection of contemporary fine jewelry on Thursday, May 4, 2017, at 5:30 pm. Entitled “Redefining Fine Jewelry,” the curated selection features works made by hand and crafted by a global cohort of artists, whose cutting-edge jewelry reflects the ethos of the Museum of Arts and Design’s mission to champion work at the intersection of arts, craft, and design. Each of the pieces featured offers a dynamic contemporary alternative to the traditional heirloom, responsive to our changing lifestyles while remaining timeless in the face of the shifting aesthetics of our contemporary lives.

“In today’s world we are constantly seeking ways to express ourselves as unique individuals,” said Franci Sagar, Vice President and Director of Retail and Brand Development at MAD. “The jewelry choices we make are led by the desire to highlight our nuanced individuality rather than conform to the idea of traditional ‘fine’ jewelry.”

Rooted in the Museum’s mission to champion creators across creative fields, including artists, designers, and artisans, The Store at MAD is in a unique position to push the boundaries of what is typically sold in a “museum shop.” MAD is spotlighting these forward-looking jewelry artists, each with a consummate craft and singular creative vision, who have applied innovative technique to the highest-quality precious metals and nontraditional gemstones to create timeless and inspired pieces.

The following jewelers are participating in Redefining Fine Jewelry Spring 2017:

Hannah Blount, the daughter of a fisherman and a seamstress, was raised in the tradition of hand skills, hard work, and dedication. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in Jewelry/Metals. Immediately upon graduating, Blount built up her studio in Boston and began Hannah Blount Jewelry.

Joan Hornig’s jewelry collection is guided by the belief that Philanthropy is Beautiful®. Hornig donates 100% of the profits from the sale of each piece to the charity of the purchaser’s choice. This year, the MAD LOOT Award, presented to luminaries in the field of jewelry, chose Hornig as the recipient. The award honors her for her commitment to effecting change in some of the most important causes of our time through the sale of her jewelry.

TAP by Todd Pownell started in 2008. All the work is handmade by Pownell, his wife and partner, Debra, and a small team of craftspeople in their live/work loft studio in Cleveland, Ohio. The jewelry is a romantic melding of dark and light metals, fine gold and diamonds. The studio sets diamonds in a unique way such that they capture light in a succession of broad flashes reflecting from oblique angles.

Roule & Company comprises the husband-and-wife design team Christopher Roule and Laurin Lucaire. Throughout his career, Roule has designed innovative and iconic jewelry, using streamlined simplicity, tactile communication, and kinetic movement as his touchstones. A graphic designer by trade, Lucaire brings to the collection a passion for concept, color, and pattern. The two joined forces as Roule & Co in 2010. Today, they are located in New York City.

Tony Malmed Jewelry is designed and made by hand in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Each piece is one of a kind and crafted from rare, precious, ethically mined gems of the highest possible quality, set in repurposed 18-karat gold and sterling silver.

Suneera launched her namesake brand in 2010 after fifteen years of designing and manufacturing for private labels in Los Angeles. From the selection of stones to the final finishes, all Suneera pieces are made in the LA studio by a team of craftspeople. Bench jewelers maintain traditional techniques that date back centuries with hand pavé and millegrain detail. Piece are often one of a kind, as unique uncalibrated stones are used and pieces are
made by hand.

Lika Behar’s collection elegantly combines the rich inspiration of ancient jewelry traditions, utilizing only pure and nimble 24-karat gold. The result is pieces wrought with a sensual and tactile modernism. Each piece from the collection is uniquely hand-wrought with the exquisite precision once celebrated by ancient artisans.

Serhat Geridonmez engages the most experienced artisans in Istanbul to create sophisticated 24-karat fine gold jewelry. Exclusive and collectable works of art, Geridonmez’s jewelry is heritage reinterpreted for modern, discerning connoisseurs.

Lilly Fitzgerald sources the finest gems from around the world to hand-fabricate into her 22-karat-gold pieces. She often incorporates vintage materials and rare artifacts resurrected from prior lives to create an extraordinary amalgam of past and present. Fitzgerald has received numerous awards and honors from the American Craft Exposition, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts.

Denise Betesh was born in Brooklyn but works out of her studio in Santa Fe. When she starts a new piece, the gold is milled and drawn, and tiny granules of gold are then individually fused onto the surface of the metal without solder. This delicate and detailed process, called “granulation,” was refined by the Etruscans, and has been used since the third millennium BC. Betesh uses recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds and gemstones.

Marian Maurer’s pieces are constructed with a “mob of granulation” that mirrors the textured nature of her urban experiences. Based out of Brooklyn, Maurer makes her individually handcrafted work out of gold and ethically sourced gemstones.

Stephanie Albertson’s designs reflect her appreciation for the classical principles of jewelry making with a distinctly modern and fresh point of view. Inspired by vibrant colors and luxurious textures, each piece is handcrafted with 22-karat gold and an assortment of richly colored gemstones.

Sara Freedenfeld, the designer behind Amáli Jewelry, discovered her passion for making jewelry while backpacking through South America. Drawing inspiration from the natural landscapes and vibrant textiles that colored her travels, Freedenfeld set out to create a line of jewelry that combines handcraft artistry with the sophistication of high fashion.

Kimberlin Brown’s designs draw inspiration from nature and seascapes, especially the sea.

Nicole Rimedio creates jewelry that highlights the natural beauty of raw materials. Her artistic vision is inspired by the synergy between the cutting of the stone and setting—a relationship that is conventionally separated in the process of jewelry production.

Stella Flame’s collection is inspired by the four elements (earth, fire, wind, and water) as well as a wanderlust for travel. Her work combines precious metals and sparkling jewels, handcrafted and assembled in small ateliers located in Istanbul and Bangkok.

ABOUT THE STORE AT MAD
The Store at MAD is an original voice and premier shopping destination in New York City, offering a curated presentation of well-executed contemporary artist-made objects and jewelry. Its aim is to build a bridge between its customers, its artists and their work, and the Museum. At the core of its presentation are unique products that celebrate materials, an excellence in craftsmanship, and the process of design.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) champions contemporary makers across creative fields and presents the work of artists, designers, and artisans who apply the highest level of ingenuity and skill. Since the Museum's founding in 1956 by philanthropist and visionary Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated all facets of making and the creative processes by which materials are transformed, from traditional techniques to cutting-edge technologies. Today, the Museum's curatorial program builds upon a rich history of exhibitions that emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives. MAD provides an international platform for practitioners who are influencing the direction of cultural production and driving twenty-first-century innovation, and fosters a participatory setting for visitors to have direct encounters with skilled making and compelling works of art and design. The Museum will be celebrating its Diamond Jubilee 60th Anniversary this year.

SPRING 2017 LOOK BOOK
https://view.publitas.com/museum-of-arts-and-design/redefiningfinejewelry/page/1

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