Jewelry Sparkles at Art Basel Miami Beach

Large Kinetic Earrings (1968) by Jesus Raphael Soto

By any measure Art Basel Miami Beach, which just completed its 11th year, is a huge success. One of the ways its success has been demonstrated is the more than 20 art shows that have grown around the big event, held this year on December 5 – 8 at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

18k gold bracelet with white gold balls by Pol Bury, 1968, being shown by Didier Ltd.

Probably the most important of those fairs is Design Miami, which was held in a big white tent across the parking lot of the convention center. This was my first year attending what is now known as ABMB and was surprised to learn that Design Miami was focusing on art jewelry with no fewer than seven galleries dedicating at least some of their space to jewelry created by artists. The pieces included works by those who are known for their jewelry as well as world class artists who normally use other mediums. Among the highlights:

Ross Lovegrove 18k ring, made with 3D printing technology. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

* Louisa Guinness Gallery of London presented a show celebrating its tenth year of collaborating with artists to make jewelry. Ross Lovegrove was among the artists featured with a collection of 18k gold rings using 3D printing technology titled “Foliates.” Other artists on display included Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor and Alexander Calder.

Didier Ltd. of Londonde dicated its space to the 40th anniversary of a ground-breaking jewelry exhibition held at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston in 1973, "Jewelry as Sculpture as Jewelry." Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

* Didier Ltd. of London paid homage to the 40th anniversary of a ground‐breaking jewelry exhibition held at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston in 1973, "Jewelry as Sculpture as Jewelry." This exhibition brought together 131 pieces by 50 of the most avant‐garde jewelry designers and artists of the time. Didier Ltd presented a retrospective of this exhibition, including several unique pieces that were shown in Boston. It included pieces by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Jesus Raphael Soto.

White gold necklace with colors and lines by Carlos Cruz‐Diez.

* Elisabetta Cipriani of London presented 11 pieces of jewelry by Carlos Cruz‐Diez, (three bracelets, two necklaces, two rings and four brooches) the artist hand made in the 1970s for his family and friends. Cruz‐Diez specializes in kinetic and op art and his jewelry pieces reflect this through the use of colors and lines that produce movement in relation to how light is directed at them.

Brooch by Margaret DePatta, c. 1950.

* Mark McDonald of Hudson, NY, presented several jewelry pieces by Margaret De Patta, who specializes in metalwork jewelry using architectural forms.

Butterfly Brooch by Gjis Bakker

* Caroline Van Hoek of Brussels presented the works of Gjis Bakker, which included human figures, automotive motifs and more traditional pieces.

I hope this is a trend that continues at Design Miami, ABMB and at other art shows held during the week in Miami. I need an excuse to attend again next year.

Assistant Editor Maria Ling contributed to this story.

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You Can Buy JAR Jewelry at Metropolitan Museum Exhibition

La Dame Aux Gardenias (The Invisible Flower of Madame X), white resin & 18k clip earrings, $4,000.

As I previously promised, I have the photographs of jewelry by Joel A. Rosenthal, better known to jewelry lovers across the globe as JAR, that he created specifically for the exhibition, Jewels By JAR, which opens Wednesday at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and runs till March 9, 2014. They are available for purchase exclusively at the museum.

Carnaval à Venise red titanium earrings with gold Venetian glass, $2,000.

The pieces include earrings made of resin, 18k gold over aluminum, titanium and Venetian glass ranging in price from $2,000 to $7,500. There are also two watches designed for the event that cost $600. These creations will be available exclusively at the Museum through the close of the exhibition. These are not limited edition pieces but they are numbered.

Tickle Me Feather clip earrings, 18k over aluminum, $7,500.

The exhibition will be the first retrospective in the United States of JAR’s work and the first retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum devoted to a contemporary artist of gemstone jewelry. It is only the second time his pieces were available to be seen at an exhibition, with the first being in London in 2002.

JAR watches in two styles, $600 each. Photo credit: Anthony DeMarco

Born in New York and educated at Harvard, Rosenthal moved to Paris soon after graduation and began to experiment with jewelry making. He opened JAR in 1978 on the Place Vendôme, in the same space he occupies today.

Carnaval à Venise black titanium earrings with gold Venetian glass, $2,000.

“JAR jewels became known for their unique design, the exquisite quality of the gemstones, and their remarkable craftsmanship—but above all for their fearless beauty,” the museum said in a statement. “Rosenthal’s one-of-a-kind creations place him among the ranks of history’s greatest jewelers.”

Tickle Me Feather violet clip earrings made of resin and 18k gold, $4,000.

The exhibition is described by the museum as a retrospective of his work for the 35 years he’s been designing jewelry under the JAR name. The exhibition of 400 works, mostly from private collections, presents a rare glimpse into the work of JAR and the museum store provides a rare opportunity to buy one of his pieces. 

View my write up of the exhibition by clicking this link. 

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Jewels By Jar, a Dazzling Display of Darkness and Light

Butterfly Brooch, 1994; Sapphires, fire opals, rubies, amethyst, garnets, diamonds, silver and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Katharina Faerber. Courtesy of JAR, Paris

Jewelry is supposed to sparkle, glitter and glow. Joel A. Rosenthal, better known as JAR, also says it should “flicker,” which is why in his last exhibition, held in 2002 at the Somerset House in London, he requested that his jewelry be seen in the dark aided only by tiny flashlights.

Multicolored Handkerchief Earrings, 2011; Sapphires, demantoid and other garnets, zircons, tourmalines, emeralds, rubies, fire opals, spinels, beryls, diamonds, platinum, silver, and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

Those visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the landmark U.S. exhibition of Jewels By Jar won’t be asked to do anything drastic this time. However, in a museum bathed in light, the space dedicated to JAR is in darkness, with the exception of the spotted glow of jewelry displays.The designer who creates gemstone jewelry on the highest level is known for his fearlessness in his vision and in using a variety of jewelry techniques to create one-of-a-kind pieces for his private clients.

Colored Balls Necklace, 1999; Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, amethysts, spinels, garnets, opals, tourmalines, aquamarines, citrines, diamonds, silver, and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

The exhibition, which opens Wednesday and runs till March 9, 2014, is the first US viewing of jewelry by the famed and famously reclusive jewelry artist. The exhibition will be the first retrospective in the United States of his work and the first retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum devoted to a contemporary artist of gems.

Raspberry Brooch, 2011; Rubies, diamonds, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum. Collection of Sien M. Chew. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

The press preview Monday at the museum was my first opportunity to see JAR jewelry pieces in the flesh and it didn’t disappoint. The 400 pieces on display, nearly all lent by private collectors, represent 35 years of designing jewelry at the highest level.

Lilac Brooches, 2001; Diamonds, lilac sapphires, garnets, aluminum, silver, and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

It’s obvious that Rosenthal isn’t a just a jewelry designer but an artist. In brief words during the press preview Monday, Jane Adlin, the exhibition curator, was a bit more specific, describing him as a sculptor.

Poppy Brooch, 1982; Diamond, tourmalines, and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Katharina Faerber. Courtesy of JAR, Paris

“I think Joel is best known for his technique of pavé. He’s discriminating but indiscriminate in his use of gemstones,” Adlin said. “So he’ll mix very, very fine perfectly cut, perfectly flawless gemstones with some that are not. He will use lesser quality stones. He will use lesser-known stones. But the outcome is this extraordinary piece of jewelry, which if you just put it on your dresser or your coffee table it would in fact be a piece of sculpture.”

Bracelet, 2010; Diamonds, silver, and platinum; Private collection. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris

That’s probably the best way to look at the works of JAR. From the time of the Greeks, great sculptors are able to take a subject and create a more perfect vision of it. That’s part of Rosenthal’s skill and expertise. For example, his flowers and animals, in addition to being precise, seem to be more perfect than what nature intended. He can create texture with jewels, such as his colorful handkerchief earrings in which one has a fold. And, as previously mentioned, there’s his exemplary use of pavé combined with exceptional colors from the many types of gems he’ll use for a single piece. He treats metals the same way in his pieces as it ranges from gold, platinum and titanium to silver and aluminum.

Earrings, 2011; Emeralds, oriental pearls, diamonds, and platinum; Private collection. Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

His 1994 butterfly brooch (one of many he created over the years) may be the best example of all of his sculptural attributes. Like many of his pieces it’s a combination of multiple materials. In this case sapphires, fire opals, rubies, amethyst, garnets, diamonds, silver and gold. Colors include different shades of violet, red, orange, yellow, blue and green with specks of white. Micro pavé is used throughout. In some cases there’s clear separation of color, in other parts of the creature, the colors seem to blend together.

Zebra Brooch, 1987; Agate, diamonds, a sapphire, silver, and gold; Private collection. Photograph by Katharina Faerber. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

The mystique of JAR is enhanced by the man himself. Rosenthal is famously private. The New York native who lives and works in Paris has rarely given interviews although he did agree to a select few for this exhibition. The window of his store on Place Vendôme, perhaps the most famous luxury shopping district in the world, is often blank or showing a single object unrelated to jewelry design, such as a twig. The customers who are fortunate enough to enter his chambers get singular treatment and leave, eventually, with unique pieces of art created just for them.

Tulip Brooch, 2008; Rubies, diamonds, pink sapphires, garnets, silver, gold, and enamel; Private collection; Photograph by Jozsef Tari. Courtesy of JAR, Paris.

His eccentricity was apparently on display during the preparation of the Met exhibit. To the disappointment of many Rosenthal wasn’t present at the press preview with staff saying he is “shy.”

But we did get a bit more detail of the man behind JAR from Jennifer Russell, Metropolitan Museum associate director for exhibitions.

“Joel is passionate, he’s opinionated, he has a very definite point of view about almost everything, from what he’s going to eat for lunch to how the show should be arranged,” she said. “But he listens too and it’s been a wonderful dialogue in deciding how things should be arranged and discussing the exhibition in general.”

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Luxury Megayacht to Host Contemporary Jewelry Fair During Art Basel Miami Beach

An event onboard the SeaFair

A new jewelry exhibition will be held on a 228-foot megayacht as part of America’s largest art fair.

The inaugural International Contemporary Jewelry Fair will be held December 4 - 9 onboard the SeaFair, a $40 million, luxury yacht built for the purpose of hosting mobile art and jewelry exhibitions. It will be part of Art Basel Miami Beach (December 6 - 9), the most prestigious art fair in the Americas.

While the exhibitors haven’t been announced yet, the organizers, International Fine Art Expositions, promise that the event “will present unique jewelry created by designers and artists from around the world as another segment of collectible contemporary art.”

For the exhibition, SeaFair will be docked at its winter season location at Chopin Plaza at Noguchi Bayfront Park in downtown Miami. In addition to the shipboard exhibition, SeaFair will play host to educational events and exclusive VIP parties, including a private “first view” event on December 4. 

The fair will be open December 5 – 8, 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.; and December 9 from 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. There will be cocktails, champagne and caviar served on the vessel’s sky deck. The ship’s glass walled VIP lounge and Luxe Lounge will offer additional gathering places for collectors.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, $20 for a one-day ticket and $30 for a “Priority Boarding” ticket, which allows immediate priority boarding. Advance ticketing is available online for $15 for a one-day ticket and $25 for a Priority Boarding ticket at www.expoships.com.

SeaFair is owned and operated by Expoships, LLLP, David and Lee Ann Lester, who have organized over 70 international art fairs in art capitals around the world for more than 20 years.

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Aaron Faber Gallery to Host ‘Dramatic Jewelry: The Five Masters’

"The Blow Shadow" by Paolo Marcolongo

The works of five international jewelry artists will be on display beginning May 9 at Aaron Faber Gallery in an exhibition titled, “Dramatic Jewelry: The Five Masters.” 

"Folded leaf with Pearl" by Michael Good

The exhibition at the gallery in New York will feature the works of Charlotte De Syllas of Great Britan; Paolo Marcolongo of Italy; Michael Good of the U.S.; and Peter Schmid of Atelier Zobel and Tom and Jutta Munsteiner, all of Germany.

Ring "Play of Color by Tom and Jutta Munsteiner

The exhibition opens May 9 with a book signing hosted by Tom and Jutta Munsteiner, honoring Wilhelm Lindemann’s literary work, “Munsteiner: The Young Generation Tom + Jutta Munsteiner”. Also in attendance will be Bernd Munsteiner, the “Picasso of Gems” and father to both Tom and the optical style of the “fantasy gem cut."

Garnet Engraved Brooch 2012, set in 18k green gold and backed with gold foil by Charlotte De Syllas.

On May 18 Aaron Faber Gallery will present an “Afternoon with Michael Good,” a reception and lecture where the jeweler will discuss his life, his work and his upcoming sold-out workshop at the 92nd Street Y.

Both events are free and open to the public. Aaron Faber Gallery is located at 666 Fifth Avenue, New York.

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