Banner and Badge by Melissa Cameron

Exhibition / 05 Oct 2024 - 11 Oct 2024

Published: 20.09.2024

PS Art Space

: 22 Pakenham St
6160 - Fremantle
AUSTRALIA

: Website PS Art Space; Instagram PS Art Space; Facebook PS Art Space

Mail:: adminpsas.com.au; jewellerymelissacameron.net

Phone:: +61894308145

Melissa Cameron. Neckpiece: Attempts to kill…, 2016. Tortilla pan purchased in Mexico City, stainless steel, titanium, vitreous enamel. 23 x 90 x 1 cm. From series: Drone (part 1). Embedded in the Drone works, through contrasting enamel colours denoting the 1’s and 0’s of binary, is a message in ASCII (a code for keys on a US keyboard.)
. ‘Attempts to kill...’ reads:
. "Attempts to kill 41 men resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,147 people, as of 24 November [2014].” S. Ackerman on US drone activity in Pakistan and Yemen, on theguardian. com"
. .

Melissa Cameron. Installation: 1.1.2017, 2018. Sourced containers, US military ID tag chain, card and string tags, ink. 260 x 150 x 30 cm. 1.1.2017 is a large-scale jewellery work that contains a portrait of each of the 66 guns used in fatal incidents of gun violence in the USA on January 1, 2017. These gun effigies are made in metal, plastic, fabric and paper, from containers sourced from the 55 places in which these acts of violence occurred..

Melissa Cameron. Brooch: fuckthispresidentandtheregimeherodeinon, 2017. Stainless steel, titanium, vitreous enamel. 12 x 6.5 x 1 cm.

Melissa Cameron. Badge: BanStopFightSaveSolve, 2012. Hand sawn recycled mild steel, magnets. Displayed on vintage waistcoat. 6 x 8.5 x 0.1cm. The lexicon of the badge is specific, and short. The words themselves are also short, sculpted to convey maximum meaning in minimum space. The work BanStopSaveFightSolve uses the didactic language from badges - borrowing from it five words that have had broad cultural significance (Ban the Bomb and Save the Whale are but two examples) - to interrogate how meaning is conveyed through this format. Pleasantries are dispensed with, as is nuance or subtlety, when a sensitive issue is boiled down to an abrupt word-symbol. The meaning is thus re-sized, not for the benefit of the message, but to be appropriate for wear..

Melissa Cameron. Earrings: Sweeper Blade 4 Tier Earrings, 2024. Found steel street sweeper blades, stainless steel. 10 x 4 x 2 cm. Photo by: Melissa Cameron. From series: Sweeper Blade. Limited Series.

Melissa Cameron. Necklace: rcw... #1, 2024. Found steel street sweeper blades. 87 x 0.1 cm. Photo by: Melissa Cameron. From series: Sweeper Blade. Limited Series. Different lengths.

Melissa Cameron. Neckpiece: rapidlyclosingwindow... #5, 2024. Found steel street sweeper blades, vitreous enamel, recycled steel chain. 55 x 22 x 1 cm. Photo by: Melissa Cameron. From series: rapidlyclosingwindow.

Melissa Cameron. Installation: Juukan Tears, 2021. Steel. 260 x 400 x 10 cm. Photo by: Melissa Cameron. From series: Juukan Tears. Galvanised steel custom orb from the artist's back shed, chromed steel chain.

Melissa Cameron
Neckpiece: Attempts to kill…, 2016
Tortilla pan purchased in Mexico City, stainless steel, titanium, vitreous enamel
23 x 90 x 1 cm
From series: Drone (part 1)
Embedded in the Drone works, through contrasting enamel colours denoting the 1’s and 0’s of binary, is a message in ASCII (a code for keys on a US keyboard.)
‘Attempts to kill...’ reads:
"Attempts to kill 41 men resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,147 people, as of 24 November [2014].” S. Ackerman on US drone activity in Pakistan and Yemen, on theguardian. com"

© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Melissa Cameron
Installation: 1.1.2017, 2018
Sourced containers, US military ID tag chain, card and string tags, ink
260 x 150 x 30 cm
1.1.2017 is a large-scale jewellery work that contains a portrait of each of the 66 guns used in fatal incidents of gun violence in the USA on January 1, 2017. These gun effigies are made in metal, plastic, fabric and paper, from containers sourced from the 55 places in which these acts of violence occurred.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Melissa Cameron
Brooch: fuckthispresidentandtheregimeherodeinon, 2017
Stainless steel, titanium, vitreous enamel
12 x 6.5 x 1 cm
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Melissa Cameron
Badge: BanStopFightSaveSolve, 2012
Hand sawn recycled mild steel, magnets. Displayed on vintage waistcoat
6 x 8.5 x 0.1cm
The lexicon of the badge is specific, and short. The words themselves are also short, sculpted to convey maximum meaning in minimum space. The work BanStopSaveFightSolve uses the didactic language from badges - borrowing from it five words that have had broad cultural significance (Ban the Bomb and Save the Whale are but two examples) - to interrogate how meaning is conveyed through this format. Pleasantries are dispensed with, as is nuance or subtlety, when a sensitive issue is boiled down to an abrupt word-symbol. The meaning is thus re-sized, not for the benefit of the message, but to be appropriate for wear.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Melissa Cameron
Earrings: Sweeper Blade 4 Tier Earrings, 2024
Found steel street sweeper blades, stainless steel
10 x 4 x 2 cm
Photo by: Melissa Cameron
From series: Sweeper Blade
Limited Series
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Estimated price: 380 €

Melissa Cameron
Necklace: rcw... #1, 2024
Found steel street sweeper blades
87 x 0.1 cm
Photo by: Melissa Cameron
From series: Sweeper Blade
Limited Series. Different lengths
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Estimated price: 550 €

Melissa Cameron
Neckpiece: rapidlyclosingwindow... #5, 2024
Found steel street sweeper blades, vitreous enamel, recycled steel chain
55 x 22 x 1 cm
Photo by: Melissa Cameron
From series: rapidlyclosingwindow
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Estimated price: 4900 €

Melissa Cameron
Installation: Juukan Tears, 2021
Steel
260 x 400 x 10 cm
Photo by: Melissa Cameron
From series: Juukan Tears
Galvanised steel custom orb from the artist's back shed, chromed steel chain
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Estimated price: 37000 €

A solo exhibition by jeweller and public artist Melissa Cameron, presenting her take on the traditional forms of protest signage and adornment, banners and badges.

It consists of impeccably crafted large hangings alongside works of fine jewellery, made from a raft of non-traditional materials. It showcases pieces not seen outside the USA, made during the 6.5 years she spent living in Seattle, and continues with works made since her return to Perth.

Artist list

Melissa Cameron

Cameron’s large pieces use found materials to help convey their messages of social and environmental justice. They are exhibited with their jewellery-scale ancestors, pieces representing pivotal moments of her last 12 years of practice. Joining these is a suite of new jewels, made from the remnants and offcuts of her latest ‘banner’ work ‘rapidlyclosingwindow… #1’, also making its debut in this exhibition.

The show coincides with the Jewellers and Metalsmiths Group of Australia conference on October 5th. Thanks to the JMGA, the venue will host a public talk on Sunday, October 6th, at 2:30 p.m. This will be a one-on-one conversation between Melissa Cameron and Kaori Juzu (Japan/Denmark), a goldsmith and enamellist visiting Walyalup/Fremantle for the conference.

Opening hours: Mon – Sun: 10 am – 4 pm
Exhibition Opening: 4 October, 6 pm – 8 pm
Talk: 6 October, 2.30 pm – 3.30 pm

This exhibition is proud to be a part of the IOTA24 Festival, supported by Lotterywest.
This exhibition has received funding from the Department of Local Government, Sports and Cultural Industries in Western Australia.

PS Art Space

: 22 Pakenham St
6160 - Fremantle
AUSTRALIA

: Website PS Art Space; Instagram PS Art Space; Facebook PS Art Space

Mail:: adminpsas.com.au; jewellerymelissacameron.net

Phone:: +61894308145

Banner and Badge by Melissa Cameron

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