HANDSHAKE 3. Concept and Conception at the Frame Galleries

Artist list

Debbie Adamson, Renee Bevan, Becky Bliss, Nadene Carr, Sharon Fitness, Kelly McDonald, Neke Moa, Amelia Pascoe, Sarah Read, Sarah Walker-Holt, Raewyn Walsh, Kathryn Yeats

HANDSHAKE3 (HS3) is the latest iteration of the ground-breaking HANDSHAKE project which first began in 2011. The project is a mentoring, exhibition and professional development package unique to the contemporary art world, where selected emerging New Zealand jewellers are matched with chosen mentors to accelerate multiple aspects of their practice. It offers a space for established artists to hand over quality knowledge to those asking for a ‘hand’ and is a two-way project encouraging exchange and progression.
 
In early 2015 the HS3 participants were selected from the former HandShake1 and HandShake2 projects with new challenges, including a professional development programme, two collaboration projects and a series of national and international exhibitions  supporting the mentees to work independently from their previous mentor. Initially this was achieved through a collaboration, where the former mentor now becomes the collaborator. Six months later, the results were well received in an exhibition at Objectspace, Auckland, New Zealand, with the opportunity to extend the works further for a show at Platina, Stockholm, Sweden in 2016. This self-reliant focus worked well to facilitate independent and “international-exhibition ready” artists.Art graduates often have to work through dominant institutional influences, there is also potential for this to happen with strong mentor relationships. Through the collaborative relationship, a degree of equality first needs to happen, allowing the relationship to move quickly past traditional or un-helpful hierarchies.
 
The idea for HANDSHAKE was born out of recognition of the need for ongoing support for talented New Zealand artists after completing their jewellery/art study. HANDSHAKE reverses the old ‘apprentice’ model - here the mentor works for the mentee through feedback and support in a virtual studio space and in the development and refinement of new ideas and exhibition work.
 
The whole project began in February 2011, founded by Wellington based artist, curator and tutor Peter Deckers. The cumulative ‘knowledge‘ gained from the feedback and professional development sessions is transformed for various quality exhibitions and collaboration projects and reported back via the dynamic blog extending the reach of the project to also benefit the greater jewellery community. Participating in the HANDSHAKE project is not for the fainthearted. It is not a project for egomaniacs or prima donnas, but more for those with open and sharing minds who are not afraid to pursue new artistic experiences and creative adventures.
 
A special presentation about the HANDSHAKE project and the collaboration with London based Dialogue Collective will happen at Handwerk–on-Stage, Handwerksmesse hall B1: HANDSHAKE and DIALOGUE COLLECTIVE meet onstage on Saturday 11 March 2017, 15.50 - 16.10.
 
This will be the third time the HANDSHAKE project features in the Munich Jewellery Week programme.