Darja Popolitova. Estonian Academy of Arts. New Graduates 2015
Article
/
Artists
SelectedGraduate2015
Published: 21.06.2015
- Mail:
- darja
popolitova.com
- Author:
- Estonian Academy of Arts
- Edited by:
- Klimt02
- Edited at:
- Gothenburg
- Edited on:
- 2015

My jewellery collection symbolizes the rhythm of duality in two separate series. The series “Fazis” represents the development of androgyny and the feelings of two parts yearning to be whole. The full merging occurred in the series “Metanoia” where the result of androgyny is to find the lost halves of a whole.
Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia.
Darja Popolitova - Androgyny: jewellery beyond gender
For my thesis, I analysed jewellery through the prism of androgyny. The concept of androgyny and jewellery became closely connected. I most profoundly found the spirit of androgyny in hybrid materials. I attempted to draw a parallel between the materials and the concept in theory as well as in practice.
My jewellery collection symbolizes the rhythm of duality in two separate series. The series “Fazis” represents the development of androgyny and the feelings of two parts yearning to be whole. In the initial phase, the full fusion is still apparent, and the only thing revealed is the will of the forms through the establishment of neutral relations and the avoidance of rough texture in favor of flowing transitions. The full merging occurred in the next series “Metanoia” where the result of androgyny is to find the lost halves of a whole. Through the gradually unfolding rhythms, I found the materials I wished to use: homogeneous hybrid materials (synthetically processed natural materials).
Another important facet is technology. Before the components of jewellery became a finished piece, they had to undergo several phases of modification – from material to digital. Similar to a principle of androgyny is technology’s bodiless character. The physical opportunity to cross the limits emerges through the application of 3D techniques such as printing layers in the process of other layers (“Fazis” series) and 3D milling (“Metanoia” series).
There are two major opinions about the comprehension of androgyny. The first opinion states that in the future, the biological characteristics of man and woman will be merged into one being that is able to self-fertilise. The other opinion states that the people of the future will rid themselves of their physical bodies only to re-emerge as spirits.
Antiquity paints the perfect primal-man as an androgyne; in turn, modern man views the androgyne as a character in the future in two separate cases. The first vision establishes the androgyne as a mystical being, as is found in the theosophical essays of Nikolay Berdyaev and Helena Blavatsky. The second viewpoint sees the androgyne as a realistic, post-gender figure, as is illustrated by the philosophical-fiction works and the utopias of Georg Petros. This futuristic androgyne represents the gradual embodiment of androgyny that forms the perfect, holistic human.
The conclusion was, that the mind and the material world will become fused together in androgyny, and we will draw nearer to a brand-new perception of a person; one who is more self-sufficient, who feels secure in the social sphere and who lacks dominant and aggressive tendencies in communication. This person is still self-confident; he demonstrates high self-esteem, self-confidence and self-acceptance.
In conclusion, when sexual energy is changed to creativity or asceticism, it demands additional attention, turning our views again onto bodily values. However, hermaphroditism cannot yet be perceived as the pure version of androgyny. The most important aspect is to connect the spiritual and the material qualities. I applied this challenge to the materiality of jewellery. It was difficult to recreate the quality of wholeness without simply combining materials; therefore, I decided upon the full dissolution of one material inside the other. Through innovative technologies and hybrid materials, I endeavored to focus on androgyny and its connection to jewellery.
My jewellery collection grew as a result of the theoretical aspect. The accumulation and processing of information taught me to distinguish the aroma of words in the literature of jewellery. In my understanding, jewellery is the essence created by the “recipe.”
In a harmonious way, Darja is both a poet and a logician; collaborating with her meant surfing on both of these levels at the same time - both arbitrarily and intellectually.
These two jewellery collections have developed with an enormous inner conviction. The choice of materials works perfectly with the theme, and communicates Darja's secret love towards beauty and clear silhouettes. The immaculately controlled shapes contain a shadow of the future, while the shapes cut by machines (programmed cutters and 3D printers) are only perfect because of the presence of an individual. Perfectly polished obsidians keep the axis of the jewellery in line. The volume of the workload is impressive, yet not exhaustively so. I am really astounded at how much eroticism is found in this androgynous work. The tactility of shapes, strained swells, and bodily pulses - this is the common area of the body and mind. / Tanel Veenre, professor Estonian Academy of Arts, June 2015
For Darja, androgyny seems to come from a place of instinct, natural behaviour and aesthetic attribute. /.../ In her jewelry, Darja Popolitova reflects on androgyny (combining masculine and feminine characteristics) when engaging in labour-intensive techniques to craft specific materials to her desired artificial shape. She calls on new technologies such as 3d printing that curiously mimic the natural qualities of the materials previously introduced. With this unorthodox marriage she creates objects that mirror themselves in a pool deeper than Narcissus’ own. In fact, androgyny can also be seen as a process of transition between genders. To let it linger is to get stuck in the middle, suppressing development of each individual pole. /.../ With each passing generation, gender blending grows ever more common. But perhaps we are living before the tipping point. With unstable shifts in social practices towards gender roles and the speedy technological development of body plasticity still evolving, it is thrilling to think that Pandora’s Box is yet to be open. / Edgar Mosa, Master Thesis opponent, June 2015
Find out more about the courses and deadlines for applications to the Estonian Academy of Arts
Darja Popolitova - Androgyny: jewellery beyond gender
For my thesis, I analysed jewellery through the prism of androgyny. The concept of androgyny and jewellery became closely connected. I most profoundly found the spirit of androgyny in hybrid materials. I attempted to draw a parallel between the materials and the concept in theory as well as in practice.
My jewellery collection symbolizes the rhythm of duality in two separate series. The series “Fazis” represents the development of androgyny and the feelings of two parts yearning to be whole. In the initial phase, the full fusion is still apparent, and the only thing revealed is the will of the forms through the establishment of neutral relations and the avoidance of rough texture in favor of flowing transitions. The full merging occurred in the next series “Metanoia” where the result of androgyny is to find the lost halves of a whole. Through the gradually unfolding rhythms, I found the materials I wished to use: homogeneous hybrid materials (synthetically processed natural materials).
Another important facet is technology. Before the components of jewellery became a finished piece, they had to undergo several phases of modification – from material to digital. Similar to a principle of androgyny is technology’s bodiless character. The physical opportunity to cross the limits emerges through the application of 3D techniques such as printing layers in the process of other layers (“Fazis” series) and 3D milling (“Metanoia” series).
There are two major opinions about the comprehension of androgyny. The first opinion states that in the future, the biological characteristics of man and woman will be merged into one being that is able to self-fertilise. The other opinion states that the people of the future will rid themselves of their physical bodies only to re-emerge as spirits.
Antiquity paints the perfect primal-man as an androgyne; in turn, modern man views the androgyne as a character in the future in two separate cases. The first vision establishes the androgyne as a mystical being, as is found in the theosophical essays of Nikolay Berdyaev and Helena Blavatsky. The second viewpoint sees the androgyne as a realistic, post-gender figure, as is illustrated by the philosophical-fiction works and the utopias of Georg Petros. This futuristic androgyne represents the gradual embodiment of androgyny that forms the perfect, holistic human.
The conclusion was, that the mind and the material world will become fused together in androgyny, and we will draw nearer to a brand-new perception of a person; one who is more self-sufficient, who feels secure in the social sphere and who lacks dominant and aggressive tendencies in communication. This person is still self-confident; he demonstrates high self-esteem, self-confidence and self-acceptance.
In conclusion, when sexual energy is changed to creativity or asceticism, it demands additional attention, turning our views again onto bodily values. However, hermaphroditism cannot yet be perceived as the pure version of androgyny. The most important aspect is to connect the spiritual and the material qualities. I applied this challenge to the materiality of jewellery. It was difficult to recreate the quality of wholeness without simply combining materials; therefore, I decided upon the full dissolution of one material inside the other. Through innovative technologies and hybrid materials, I endeavored to focus on androgyny and its connection to jewellery.
My jewellery collection grew as a result of the theoretical aspect. The accumulation and processing of information taught me to distinguish the aroma of words in the literature of jewellery. In my understanding, jewellery is the essence created by the “recipe.”
In a harmonious way, Darja is both a poet and a logician; collaborating with her meant surfing on both of these levels at the same time - both arbitrarily and intellectually.
These two jewellery collections have developed with an enormous inner conviction. The choice of materials works perfectly with the theme, and communicates Darja's secret love towards beauty and clear silhouettes. The immaculately controlled shapes contain a shadow of the future, while the shapes cut by machines (programmed cutters and 3D printers) are only perfect because of the presence of an individual. Perfectly polished obsidians keep the axis of the jewellery in line. The volume of the workload is impressive, yet not exhaustively so. I am really astounded at how much eroticism is found in this androgynous work. The tactility of shapes, strained swells, and bodily pulses - this is the common area of the body and mind. / Tanel Veenre, professor Estonian Academy of Arts, June 2015
For Darja, androgyny seems to come from a place of instinct, natural behaviour and aesthetic attribute. /.../ In her jewelry, Darja Popolitova reflects on androgyny (combining masculine and feminine characteristics) when engaging in labour-intensive techniques to craft specific materials to her desired artificial shape. She calls on new technologies such as 3d printing that curiously mimic the natural qualities of the materials previously introduced. With this unorthodox marriage she creates objects that mirror themselves in a pool deeper than Narcissus’ own. In fact, androgyny can also be seen as a process of transition between genders. To let it linger is to get stuck in the middle, suppressing development of each individual pole. /.../ With each passing generation, gender blending grows ever more common. But perhaps we are living before the tipping point. With unstable shifts in social practices towards gender roles and the speedy technological development of body plasticity still evolving, it is thrilling to think that Pandora’s Box is yet to be open. / Edgar Mosa, Master Thesis opponent, June 2015
Find out more about the courses and deadlines for applications to the Estonian Academy of Arts
Brooch: Metanoia V & Metanoia VI, 2015
stabilized wood, silver, steel
11.5 x 3.5 x 2.5 and 12 x 3.7 x 3 cm
Photo by: Diana Pashkovich
Make-up: Pirge Markus. Hair: Maria Dihtjar. Stylist: Sofja Litvinenko
Place JEVI photo agency
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Pendant: Fazis I, 2015
Bioplastic, golden sheen obsidian, oxidized silver.
12 x 3 x 3 cm
Photo by: Diana Pashkovich
Make-up: Pirge Markus. Hair: Maria Dihtjar. Stylist: Sofja Litvinenko
Place JEVI photo agency.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Pendant: Fazis II, 2015
Bioplastic, silver sheen obsidian, oxidized silver
Photo by: Vladimir Ljadov
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Brooch: Metaoia II, 2015
Stabilized wood, silver, steel
12 x 4 x 3 cm
Photo by: Vladimir Ljadov
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Brooch: Metaoia II, 2015
Stabilized wood, silver, steel.
12 x 4 x 3 cm
Photo by: Diana Pashkovich
Make-up: Pirge Markus. Hair: Maria Dihtjar. Stylist: Sofja Litvinenko
Place JEVI photo agency.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Brooch: Metanoia III, 2015
Stabilized wood, silver, steel.
12 x 3 x 1.5 cm
Photo by: Vladimir Ljadov
Make-up: Pirge Markus. Hair: Maria Dihtjar. Stylist: Sofja Litvinenko
Place JEVI photo agency.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Brooch: Metanoia I, 2015
Stabilized wood, silver, steel
9 x 6.5 x 2.5 cm
Photo by: Vladimir Ljadov
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Brooch: Metanoia I, 2015
Stabilized wood, silver, steel.
9 x 6.5 x 2.5 cm
Photo by: Diana Pashkovich
Make-up: Pirge Markus. Hair: Maria Dihtjar. Stylist: Sofja Litvinenko
Place JEVI photo agency.
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
Pendant: Fazis IV, 2015
Rubber, lace obsidian, color, gold-plated silver
22 x 3 x 3 cm
Photo by: Vladimir Ljadov
© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.
- Mail:
- darja
popolitova.com
- Author:
- Estonian Academy of Arts
- Edited by:
- Klimt02
- Edited at:
- Gothenburg
- Edited on:
- 2015
Forum Shortcuts
-
Estonian Gallery Celebrates Local Art Jewelry with a Mesmerizing Photo Series
20Jan2021 -
Material Stories - Neutral Materials? There Is No Such Thing
17Jan2021 -
Cancellation of Internationale Handwerksmesse 2021 due to coronavirus
14Jan2021 -
The Curse and the Gold. A Polyphonic Approach to Education
11Dec2020 -
The Time Zone. Master Degree Thesis by Xinia Guan
10Dec2020 -
She is Guided by Her Eye and Her Heart. About the book HUNT: Kadri Mälk's Jewellery Collection
07Dec2020 -
Contemporary Jewellery, Beyond Labels
30Nov2020 -
Silent Architectures. A Series of Work by Xavier Monclús
24Nov2020 -
Dangerously Attractive. Recycled Plastic in Jewellery. An exhibition review
20Nov2020 -
Alaitz MM. Gavilán. Glasgow School of Art. Selected Graduate 2020
20Nov2020 -
Emerging Talents selected for JPlus Award 2020 by Klimt02 / VOTE HERE
18Nov2020 -
Katie Gibbon. Central Saint Martins. Selected Graduate 2020
18Nov2020 -
Sille Luiga. Estonian Academy of Arts. Selected Graduate 2020
17Nov2020 -
Alischa Kilburg. University of Applied Sciences, Peter Behrens School of Arts, New Craft Object Design. Selected Graduat...
17Nov2020 -
Andreu de la Viuda. Escola d'Art La Industrial. Selected Graduate 2020
17Nov2020