Beware of BEWAREN

Artist list

Ildze Bogana, Chanyoung Chang, Jill De Keyser, Jodie De Verney, Yu Fujiwara, Yuxi Lu, Sophia Oberhauser, Andreea Raluca Cojocaru, Ye Wang, Charles Wartelle Sentenero, Judith de Keyzer

As you walk through the garden between the trees, you’ll almost immediately see the former museum building on your left, with its temple-like façade. It is where masterpieces were once displayed in galleries, directly connected to the studios where craftsmanship was taught. In the tympanum of this pediment, the word B E W A R E N (to preserve) appears in golden capital letters (as part of a two piece installation by Niel de Vries, 2021).


B E W A R E N is a word we consciously carry with us. The line of history shows how our medium—and more broadly, the history of art—has been shaped. But just as much, we welcome seeing the final N of that tympanum, this symbolic pedestal, tremble or even fall. What has been shaped may also be questioned.

For this exhibition, we selected various jewelry artists who, each from their own perspective, have reworked the object and its history into a contemporary interpretation. These range from feminist empowerment, the reanimation of old objects, interrogations of labor, and critical reflections on the medium itself—to other current approaches that enter into an ongoing dialogue.
‘Beware of B E W A R E N’ is an invitation to engage boldly with tradition.


Opening hours: Friday 21 November—Sunday 23 November, 12:00 – 18:00.
Opening Event: Thursday 20 November, 18.00—21.00.


About the Jewellery Design & Gold–and Silversmithing Royal Academy of Fine Arts

The human need for ornament is universal and timeless. Jewellery reflects the status, style and culture of its wearer, while also bearing witness to social, political, cultural and technological developments. At the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Jewellery Design combines artistic practice with theory, craftsmanship and innovation. Students are guided by experienced artists and designers, gaining both technical skills and conceptual insight. The programme encourages curiosity, imagination and research, while study visits, workshops and international lectures broaden perspectives. Graduates are equipped to work independently or in collaboration, within the fields of art, jewellery design and goldsmithing.

Free admission.