Story Highlight
– Milano Jewelry Week set for October 15-20, 2024.
– Over 500 designers from 60+ countries participating.
– Highlighting jewelry as both art and decorative object.
– Group exhibitions include The Jewelry Hub and Artistar Jewels.
– Public events feature exhibitions, talks, and themed workshops.
Full Story
Milano Jewelry Week is set to dazzle from 15 to 20 October 2024, serving as a major highlight in the international jewelry calendar. This annual event combines tradition and innovation, showcasing a rich tapestry of public exhibitions and talks spread across notable venues including Palazzo Bovara, La Pelota, and various art galleries and fashion boutiques. Jewelry enthusiasts can look forward to an immersive experience as brands, goldsmiths, and designers open their shops and workshops to visitors.
With participation from over 500 jewelry designers and creatives hailing from more than 60 nations, the week-long celebration aims to connect art with the multifaceted world of jewelry making. These events not only display jewelry as mere adornments but elevate it to an art form, blurring the lines between practical and artistic expressions. The craftsmanship involved underscores the deep intersection between jewelry making and artistic endeavor, paying homage to the artisans’ skills and the beauty within personal expression.
From 17 to 20 October, two major group exhibitions will take centre stage: The Jewelry Hub, returning for its third year at La Pelota, and Artistar Jewels, hosting its 10th anniversary at Palazzo Bovara. This latter exhibition has garnered international recognition as a key venue for contemporary and artistic jewelry, featuring the works of over 230 artists. Visitors will also get to see exceptional pieces from special guests Angry Jewellery and Chong Ho, along with selections curated by Harper’s Bazaar.
Among the featured artists is Helsinki’s Meira Rauta, who is known for her ephemeral “fleeting art” created from ice. While her delicate pieces may not be physically present due to temperature constraints, her stunning Aloe collection, which includes elegantly crafted patinated copper earrings and a necklace, will be on display. Rauta notes, “I find myself repeatedly returning to the dialogue between jewelry and miniature sculpture – how jewelry can also be a beautiful, decorative object when it is not being worn.”
Additionally, Canadian artist and poet Sarah Silvey will showcase her sculptural jewelry made from gemstones like opals at the Artistar Jewels exhibit. Growing up in an environment enriched by her father’s antique jewelry business, Silvey later embraced her heritage; she returned to the realm of jewelry design after working in the non-profit sector. Her creations blend inspirations from nature and historical art movements, hand-crafted in her Vancouver studio, often utilizing repurposed vintage stones.
Faith Hilda, the founder and Creative Director of Melbourne-based Faith Jewels, draws on her architectural background to inspire her jewelry. Her signature piece, The Wave, features a striking asscher-cut Santa Maria blue Aquamarine at its core, surrounded by diamonds and sapphires set in blue titanium, reflecting the vibrant tones of Australia’s oceans and skies.
Another exciting aspect of Milano Jewelry Week is the Experiential Journeys, which will be hosted at various downtown locations and will allow brands and designers to lead engaging activities such as themed exhibitions, live performances, cocktail parties, and workshops. Discussions and panels addressing current trends and significant topics in goldsmithing and jewelry design will take place at La Pelota and the Galdus School.
All events during Milano Jewelry Week are accessible to the public, although prior registration is mandatory for accreditation, and some events may have limited availability based on the organisers’ discretion.