ŠperkStret 2012

Preparations of the fifth international conference Šperk Stret was affected by the sudden death of our colleague Bety K. Majerníkova, whose creation was exceptional and very exalted. One of her dreams was an exhibition in the abandoned, however captivating premises of the old city baths Grössling in Bratislava. On the initiative of a number of friends, artists and designers her dream came true. The project entitled Earthly gardens _ Bety Majerníková took place as a part of the conference Šperk Stret 2012.

On the conference several lecturers presented their projects and work: Julia Keyte (GB) as an expert and practitioner goes beyond the borders of the jewellery, applied art and product design, presented the international project Objects in Purgatory. Jeweller Flora Vági (HU) spoke about the jewellery made of organic materials – wood, paper or old books, in which she through colours and shapes discovers fasciating objects and jewellery. Jorge Manilla (BG), Mexican man by origin, links the world of the European jewellery with central American mysticism, experiments with different types of materials and processes, and does not neglect exceptional craft skills. On the other hand Christina Karababa (GRE/DE) is dedicated to the field of contemporary design and in her work uses digital technology (Rapid Prototyping). Graduate from the studio s+m+l_XL Metal and jewellery at AFAD Matej Bezúch (SK), as one of the few in Slovakia, consistently reviews new technologies. His jewellery is often inspired by visuality of pop culture and openly belong to the present times. Products and jewellery designer Daniel Michel (DE), a graduate of product design and jewellery design from the University of Applied Sciences FH Düsseldorf, has been working as a freelance designer for the Ingo Maurer company (since 2010) and for Niessing Company (since 2012). Laura Alvarado (CO) introduced methods of the visual production for reviewing of the meaning and value in relation to works of art and design. Herman Hermsen (NL) has been devoted to design of jewellery and series products since 1979. Currently he is a professor of product design and jewellery at the University of Applied Sciences in Düsseldorf, Germany. A punk-jeweller Timothy Information Limited (GB) vividly demonstrated to the audience that the decisions in the design and manufacturing process itself, is sometimes controlled by something much deeper than just a choice. For Radka Kovačíková (CZ), graduate of the studio s+m+l_XL Metal and Jewellery from the Academy in Bratislava, is the actual work just as important to her as the result. Currently she lives in New York, so her lecture during the Šperk Stret took place via Skype.

Exhibition activities: Exhibition LIQUID TIME – 20 years of STUDIO METAL AND JEWELRY – AFAD, in the Slovak National Gallery maps work, students, graduates and teachers of the studio from its establishment until the present. The concept of the exhibition summarizes the presentations of the studio founder Anton Cepka, the current teaching team of the studio as well as the former teachers and assistants (Karol Weisslechner, Matúš Cepka, Petr Vogel, Bety K. Majerníková). In the Eggplant gallery Kristýna Španihelová presented her new collection of emotionally charged jewellery called Hemocity. Lula Gašparovičová a Aďa Ďurianová moved their studio for a few weeks into trivjednom gallery, because in addition to their works, they wanted to present Something more, themselves while working. In Gallery Medium was presented the international project Connecting Identities (curator Herman Hermsen) attended by students of European schools focusing on jewellery (AFAD Studio of Metal & Jewellery, Bratislava; Central St.Martins, University of Arts, London; Saimaan AMK, Saimaa University of Applied Sciences Kuvataide; Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm; MAD-faculty/ Object & Jewellery, Hasselt; University of Applied Sciences, Applied Art and Design, Düsseldorf). In parallel, in the basement of Gallery Medium Katarína Šipošová introduced a separate project In-tension. Under the name Poďpodpodchod in underpass at Klariská street Mája Steffanová, Zuzka Dadáková, Hanka Polívková introduced their work. Entitled 4D graduates of the Prague Academy of Fine Arts, Architecture and Design: Alena Hesounová, Lucie Houdková, Karla Olšáková and Kateřina Řezáčová held the exhibition (curator Petra Matějovičová) in Art Design Project and the exhibition Alternatives of textile jewelry II was reinstalled in Gallery X.