We Are One
In recent years feminist and queer theory have influenced arts in different arenas. AGO designed a space in relation to this conversation which surrounds Räthel & Wolf’s gender-fluid jewellery. The exhibition design served as means to formalise their ideology and aspirations in a spatial form.
We collaborated with a jewellery practice Räthel & Wolf to design an exhibition ‘We Are One’ for their gender-neutral jewellery label. Selected artists working around topics of gender and body were invited to collaborate in this multidisciplinary art show. The gallery S O is one of the very few contemporary art jewellery galleries of its kind and it was endeavoured by Räthel and Wolf to widen this niche genre by showing the jewellery in relation to contemporary dance, performance, poetry, film and photography. Artists presented in the exhibition are Eva Papamargariti, Mia Dudek, Jaana Kristiina Alakoski and Theodoulos Polyviou, Nora Silva, Whitney Conti and Titilayo.
The displays for the jewellery are extracted from a downloaded digital body. This three-dimensional digital model has been crafted as a generic template, a representation of a human being without qualities or gender. A 30cm x 30cm segment of the body where the jewellery is worn was then extracted and cast in plaster.
The gentle curvature of the human form is present on top of the display while other surfaces are cut to form square plinths. These are connected with a slender structure to form a continuous strand of fragmented body casts. On top of the plinths Räthel and Wolf’s sculptural silver and black rhodium jewellery rests as abstract sculptures.
A high gloss membrane is hung to form an intimate space for the projection of Papamargariti’s installation. It also forms a continuous backdrop in which the objects and the floating multi-coloured artwork have space to stand out. The white membrane was further recycled to form packaging and folders for their jewellery brand after the exhibition.
