Meanings and Messages. ACJ's 25th anniversary touring exhibition

Artist list

Dauvit Alexander, Anna Asimi Butcher, Kate Bajic, Hendrike Barz-Meltzer, Deborah Beck, Anna Borcsok, Jessica Briggs, Penelope Burnett, Rachael Colley, Linda Connelly, Toby Cotterill, Anne Earls Boylan, Elird, Michelle Fernandez, Caroline Finlay, Claire Finlay, Catherine Hartley, Joanne Haywood, Rachel Hearne, Terry Hunt, Rebecca Ilett, Sarah Jane Wilmot, Christine Johnson, Stephanie Johnson, Yuka Jourdain, Emily Kidson, Kristy Lewis, Lorraine Hitt - Elsiem Jewellery, Sophie Lowe, Tina MacLeod, Allison Macleod, Catherine Marche, Drew Markou, Sophie Martin-Glinel, Joel Matthew Smyth, Jo McAllister, Emma McGilchrist, Mark Mcleish, Jane Moore, Anne Morgan, Viktoria Münzker Ferus, Mandy Nash, Kim Nogueira, Janine Partington, Liana Pattihis, Tina Sanderson, Jane Sedgwick, Vanessa Sharp, Elizabeth Shaw, Islay Spalding, Lynne Speake, Claire Underwood, Anne Walker, Sishi Wang, Paul Wells, Rebecca Wilson, Caiyang Yin, Chien Yu Liu

We have chosen to focus on brooches for this exhibition, as they form the ideal jewellery archetype for conveying meanings and messages. Brooches can be subversive and are often used by people in the public eye, political figures, or sovereignty to convey important messages. These messages may be hidden, subtle or more of an overt protest!

The response to the brief from our membership is diverse - with many drawing on global challenges such as climate change, social justice, governance, resources, pollution, pandemics, and conflict. Several of our members created works that form personal tributes to loved ones and heroes. The beauty of the natural world plays a prominent role, either by capturing the wonder of life around us, or serving as a reminder of the impact we have as custodians of our planet. Equally, the response within these themes varies greatly, with some creating works that speak of the wider impact around the globe and others crafting personal narratives about how these challenges have impacted them personally.

Materials include PLA filament, jesmonite, paper, silver and gold, aluminum, copper, enamels, wood, textiles, ceramics, semi-precious stones, and an array of found objects – gramophone needles, leather gloves, spent bullet cartridges, military ribbon, and denatured citrus fruit peel.

Meanings and Messages is curated into six distinct themes. This enables us to invite the audience to view them as a frieze of related objects, that may spark dialogues between the brooches - as well as encourage conversations and reflections from viewers.

The brooches are exhibited without the artists' statements being shown alongside them – encouraging the audiences to give their own responses to the works and imagine for themselves what the meanings and messages might be. For those wanting to uncover the true intentions behind each work – the statements can be found in our catalogue.
 
We invite you to bring your own interpretation to the works presented, and share in our exploration of the brooch.


Exhibition opening: 30 April 2022, 12-2 pm

Opening Hours:
Monday-Saturday, 9 am – 5:30 pm
Sunday, 10:30 am – 4:30 pm

Touring programme: 
1. St George’s Arts Centre - Gravesham Borough Council - in partnership with LV21: 30 April – 29 May 2022
2. Exeter University – Conference Pop Up exhibition: 1-3 July 2022
3. Vittoria Street Gallery – Birmingham School of Jewellery : 19 September- 28 October 2022
4. Mission Gallery in partnership with Swansea College of Art UWTSD : 16 November – 2 December 2022
5. Goldsmiths’ Centre: 9 January – 24 February 2023
6. New Brewery Arts: 4 April – 18 June 2023