Rethinking the Divide: The Natural and the Artificial in Contemporary Jewellery (1/3). Spotlight Artworks by Klimt02

Why Do We Always Oppose the Natural and the Artificial?

Traditionally considered opposites, the terms natural (phusis) and artificial (technê) refer to concepts often intuitively seen as incompatible. The natural exists without human intervention, emerging from life and the laws of nature, while the artificial is created through human ingenuity. However, this seemingly clear divide, so deeply ingrained in everyday language, is worth questioning.

This text marks the first in a three-part spotlight series exploring the ambiguous and captivating dialogue between the natural and the artificial through contemporary jewellery.

The series will unfold across the following parts:
Part 1. The Reproduction of Nature Through the Creative Hand.
Part 2. Shaping Nature: The Interconnection Between Natural and Artificial.
Part 3. Towards a Post-Natural Future: The Human-Environment Relationship in the Anthropocene Era.