Our jewelry comes to Christiansfeld

Come and have a jewellery experience Museum Kolding opened the exhibition “Our Jewellery” in Søstrehuset, Christiansfeld on Friday 10 June. The jewellery is from the Statens Kunstfonds jewellery collection and contains unique and experimental Danish jewellery art.

On Friday 10 June at 3 pm, Museum Kolding opened its doors for the opening of the exhibition Our Jewelery. There were speeches by Anne Damgaard, chairman of the Statens Kunstfonds Scholarship Committee for Crafts and Design and Merete Due Paarup, city councilor in Kolding Municipality and membet of the board of Museum Kolding – and active jeweller.

THE LOAN SCHEME

One of the unique things about the works of art in this exhibition is that they can be borrowed by the people of Denmark if you have an active role in a public context, for example, if you have to give a lectures. That is why both the exhibition and the collection are called Our Jewelry.

Anne Damgaard, chairman of the Scholarship Committee for Crafts and Design says: – One of the original ideas with the Art Foundation was to give the Danish population access to experience the art. Both design, visual arts and crafts are purchased, and all that is purchased is lent to institutions with public access – it can be hospitals or schools. But jewellery must be seen and experienced on the body. That is why we have a special jewellery lending scheme where citizens can borrow jewellery if they play an active role in public contexts. The borrowers get the art very close – and at the same time act as a kind of ambassador for Danish jewellery art by opening up for conversations about the jewellery they have chosen to wear.

In the exhibition, the lending and the experiences with the jewellery loans are in focus. In particular, it is interesting to see how the display case with the most lent jewellery reveals trends and differs from the other themes that help to show the great diversity in Danish jewellery art.

THE DIVERSITY OF JEWELLRY

The exhibition Our Jewellery goes behind the jewellery as works of art and examines what jewellery is and the boundaries between art and function. Themes such as status, gender, meaning and how the jewellery is worn on the body are addressed in the exhibition.

Through the exhibition, you gain insight into the development and diversity within Danish jewellery art and how to experiment with materials, design language and meanings. The jewellery is made of a wide variety of materials. In addition to gold, silver and diamonds, you come across the turtle skeleton, mammoth tusk, tea towel, cardigan scraps and billiard ball.

CHRISTIANSFELD AS THE FRAMEWORK FOR GOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP

The world heritage city Christiansfeld has been chosen as an exhibition space, as the city and the Brethren are known for their good quality craftsmanship with a flair for aesthetic expression. – The jewellery in the exhibition represents some of the best in Danish jewellery art, where both the good craftsmanship, quality and aesthetics fit directly into the Brethren's parole, says cultural heritage director and UNESCO site manager at Museum Kolding, Steen Rosenvinge Lundbye.