FLOURISH
A Fantastical Array of Art Jewellery Selected From Around the Globe
12th July - 30th Sept 2012
Also featuring
FLOURISHRING
Celebrating Sixteen Years at Salts Mill


katja-schlegel‘Medallion’ ring in silver and Perspex
‘Medallion’ ring in silver and Perspex
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KATJA SCHLEGEL

Katja Schlegel’s jewellery is functional, wearable and, depending on one’s perspective, extraordinarily multifaceted in its formal clarity. It therefore remains an ever lively eye-catcher. This is dramatically realized in Katja's 'modification'-necklaces, which can be combined in any number of lengths and layers.

Colour is an essential design element for Katja Schlegel. She composes gaudy and shiny acrylic-glass surfaces with silver and golden bars and frames that are narrow and matte. In these ways, and in the basic graphic forms, she achieves facility and clarity: circles and ovals are the ever-recurring elements in variation.  In so doing, Katja Schlegel primarily operates on the two-dimensional surface. Three-dimensionality emerges through the combination of surfaces or their interpenetration; only rarely does a void erupt. Alongside the flattened, contoured forms there are necklaces and earrings that seem to be drawn with a casual stroke. The application of little pearls and facetted stones contrast the rigorous form with its smoothness but without being kittenish.

Apart from the colour, the play of surfaces is characteristic of these jewellery pieces: often matted, whether it’s silver or matted onyx, brilliantly lustered surfaces are composed in contrast to opaque or transparent acrylic glass, to gems or pearls. Some of the oval medallion frames even remain empty, in a way framing a part of the person who is wearing the piece on her ear, around her neck or on her clothing.

Katja Schlegel, who is always inspired by the forms of architecture, has created several series or sequences; her readymades, for example, have been accepted in the MoMA Design Store. Paperrings, peep-throughs (a series with combined forms recalling keyholes) or the „magnifying rings“ are just some examples of the series, which she has varied and reinveted with distinctive joy. In this respect, the latter „magnifying rings“ are characteristic for Katja Schlegel because she has given the otherwise naturally symmetrical ring a suprising twist through the adjustable size. The person who is wearing it can play with it. The ring remains in motion and in all its formal strength and earnest timelessness, a little wink of an eye cannot be overlooked. Katja Schlegel does not sketch her pieces on paper, but rather develops them into their definite form out of the material. Architecture is not the only source of her creativity, but also the experience of music, theatre, film and art that lead to new ideas or inspirations.

Dr. Christiane Zeiller

Biographical Details

Artists taking part in FLOURISH are: Akiko Kurihara, Germany/Japan; Seulgi Kwon, South Korea; Mari Iwamoto, Japan; Katja Schlegel, Germany; Nina Sajet, the Netherlands; Francisca Bauzá, Germany/Mallorca; Märta Mattsson, Sweden; Réka Fekete, the Netherlands/Hungary; Yu-Ping Lin, UK/Taiwan. Additionally 100 International jewellers who have exhibited with the Gallery of the past 16 years at Salts Mill will be taking part in FlourishRing an exuberant celebratory competition, the winner to be decided by public vote.