Broochmania

Ädellab, the jewellery department of the Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm has developed in recent years into one of the leading educational centers of its kind. The jewellery made by its graduates is as surprising as it is pioneering. The Rob Koudijs Gallery gladly accepted professor Karen Pontoppidan’s invitation to participate in the Broochmania project.

During the last school year, students closely studied every facet of brooches in a series of five workshops. The ultimate goal of Broochmania was the realization of pieces crystallized from the training that would be suitable to exhibition in a gallery. Ward Schrijver was invited to Stockholm to serve as the curator selecting pieces for the exhibition. He chose brooches from 13 artists, ranging from first-year students to recently graduated masters.

The diversity of the work is spectacular: colourful, complicated collages contrast with clearly recognizable forms; the techniques vary from wildly proliferating growth processes to montages using existing perforated material. The distinctive individuals who study at Ädellab learn to manipulate every aspect of the brooch phenomenon as a means of artistic expression.