Bridie Lander: Silver & Sulphur

Artist list

Bridie Lander

The title of the exhibition, Silver and Sulphur, bears reference to creative elements of Bridie Lander's work and is curiously reminiscent of the terminology used by alchemists of the past. As Bridie Lander explains when describing her practice, ‘working in a studio, transforming thoughts and feelings into tangible three-dimensional forms is not unlike the inquiry and practices made by alchemists’.

The transformation of the base into the noble, raw materials into precious objects, remains a preoccupation for this contemporary jeweller. Bridie Lander investigates the mystique of transforming raw materials into precious objects, often creating a tension of opposing elements in unison – another alchemic reference. The reference to opposites also relates to the struggle experienced in the studio; attempting to respond spontaneously through a medium that requires planning, careful constructing and engineering.

These beautiful, silver jewels predominately monochrome with colourful highlights allude to tribal and medieval and reliquary themes, are simple in geometric hand constructed forms and function as wearable art.  Semi precious stones are used for their symbolic reference and tactile quality. A native of Sydney, Bridie Lander currently lives and works in the UK. She is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Jewellery, Birmingham City University and has established her studio in the historic jewellery quarter of Birmingham.