Jewellery Project Opening!

Room decoration aside, the most important news for this week is the Spotlight on Jewellery Gallery Opening

    

Anne Morrell, Cerulean, 2009 Nora Fok, Disc-florets, Neck Piece 2008/9

Light & Line : Polly Binns & Anne Morrell Two leading figures in the field of art textiles show their work together for the first time, in an exhibition that explores the common threads uniting their practice, as well as their wider contribution to contemporary textile history. Both artists use stitch as structural and mark-making components in the development of their images and ideas. Both share a fascination with the light and texture of landscape: Polly has a long-held interest in the North Norfolk coastline and Anne is inspired by the contrasting landscapes of India and her own garden in Cheshire. Light and Line is a Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery touring exhibition, funded by Arts Council England through the National Lottery. Pearls to Plastic Imagine an Egyptian glass bead necklace, an Anglo Saxon bronze brooch and a Medieval ring; cut steel buckles and buttons, a Viking period brooch-pin decorated with enamel and a Spanish pendant of gold and emeralds; earrings made from human hair, Italian cameos cut from shell, gold filigree earrings made in India and a modern brooch in vibrant colours made of acrylic.  These are some of the fabulous treasures from Nottingham City Museums and Galleries’ collection of jewellery, which will be the focus of this Spotlight display. Many of the pieces tell of journeys through life - of love and fidelity, status and fashion, travel and souvenirs, death and mourning. A special feature of the exhibition is a stunning new necklace by Nora Fok, selected for the collection by members of Nottingham City Museums and Galleries’People’s Panel and Illuminate, the Museums’ Young Arts collective. Illuminate have also worked with photographer Siân Stammers to record people’s jewellery, as spotted on the streets of Nottingham. This project has been possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England, through the Grants for the Arts programme.

Featuring a neckpiece sculpted by Nora Fok and a photography project put together by Illuminate members this will be the culmination of a lot of hard work over the last few months.

Hope to see some of you there - and don't forget to bring your bling!