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CZECH IT OUT
Thirteen
designers from the Czech Republic have collections on show; jewellery
and bigger, sculptural pieces are created from materials as diverse
as bone, string, glass, plastic, fishing bait and credit cards - along
with the more usual precious metals and garnets which are traditionally
used in Czech jewellery, though all given a contemporary twist! One
of the key themes that underpins the exhibition and, indeed, drew
Kath Libbert to want to show the work, is the collective inventiveness
of the designers and their ability to create a lot from very little,
with much humour and thoughtfulness. For Kath, the show has a been
a long time in the making - over four years in fact - with the Czech
Republic’s entry to the EU it finally became possible to turn
the plans into reality. Kath’s mother is Czech Jewish and her
family lived in the same small village for hundreds of years until
they were forced to leave in 1938 due to the Nazi threat. Kath has
returned to her family’s former home several times and this
powerful, personal link is expressed through her desire to provide
a platform for the work of Czech jewellers. Kath comments: “The
designers’ resourcefulness and determination are borne out of
circumstances; there is very little financial support for contemporary
jewellers in the Czech Republic and hardly any contemporary jewellery
galleries. Whilst this has been a challenging exhibition to put together,
I was determined to show this work - which I find compelling in its
ingenuity, wit and refreshing candour. The jewellery often becomes
a vehicle to communicate personal and political stories and I have
found these fascinating. I hope this exhibition will give visitors
a real taste of all of this too”.
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