Deganit Stern-Schocken: In the Air

Artist list

Deganit Stern-Schocken

In this newest body of work, Deganit Stern-Schocken explores her earlier forms and imbues them with weightlessness. This investigation stems from her interest in the 'non-object' and focuses on the space between the objects rather than on the object itself. The stones set into the brooches and pendants appear to be 'in the air.' Stern-Schocken's silver and stainless steel structures attempt to 'float' the stone, while giving a sense of movement with intricately constructed hinges and mechanisms. Some of the pendants involve cut-outs from airplane safety instructions that speak quite literally to being 'in the air,' being en route while at the same time being in danger. The tension between the pending catastrophe described in these little vignettes and the optimistic 'smiley' graphics, is captured in the metal frames.

According to Stern-Schocken, In the Air was inspired by the design philosophy put forward in "NONOBJECT" - a book by designers Branko Lukić and Barry M. Kātz (MIT Press, 2011) in which they state: "Nonobject is an approach to design that takes advantage of technical innovation but is not driven by it. It is human centered but doesn´t pander to the market. It starts not with the user or the object, but with the space between." 

About Prof. Deganit Stern-Schocken

Prof. Deganit Stern-Schocken is a jeweler, designer, artist and curator. She was founder and head of the Jewelry Design Department at Shenkar College of Engineering and Design (1998-2007.)
Currently Stern-Schocken is a senior lecturer in the jewelry design and textile design departments. She received her BA from the Department of Industrial and Environmental Design of Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem and received her MA in Arts from Middlesex University in London. Stern-Schocken currently serves as the Chair of the newly initiated Masters Design program at Shenkar.

Deganit Stern-Schocken has curated and participated in numerous exhibitions including a solo exhibition titled "How Many Is One" at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in 2003. In 2009 Stern-Schocken founded "Inyanim," a group of eleven Israeli jewelers whose debut exhibition "No Problem" opened at Gallery Loupe. Winner of several international prizes, her works are included in museum and private collections worldwide.