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Material Stories: Alternative Materials. Something They Are Not

Article  /  CriticalThinking   Essays
 
Published: 11.04.2021
Material Stories: Alternative Materials. Something They Are Not.
Patrícia Domingues, installation view of ‘Gestural Gardens’, showing natural materials, industrial materials, and materials made by the artist (among other materials: reconstructed lapis lazuli, reconstructed aluminum, reconstructed coral, Necuron). Image: courtesy of the artist.

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Intro
Have you signed the Universal Declaration of Material Rights yet? This clever initiative approaches building materials in such a way that they can be ‘set free’ after use. Translated into jewellery, and seen over a longer period of time, this has long been common practice with gold, gemstones, and pearls. But true circularity - sourcing the initial material in an impact-free manner and intending to dismantle an object after its lifespan - has not often been part of the jewellery maker’s plan.


This is the fifth article of the series Material Stories, talking about Alternative Materials after having discussed Gold, Pearls and Gems. Stay tuned for an Epilogue to conclude the series.