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

Published: 06.02.2025
Rethinking the Divide: The Natural and the Artificial in Contemporary Jewellery (3/3). Spotlight Artworks by Klimt02.
Author:
Cécile Maes, Klimt02
Edited by:
Klimt02
Edited at:
Barcelona
Edited on:
2025
Rethinking the Divide: The Natural and the Artificial in Contemporary Jewellery (3/3). Spotlight Artworks by Klimt02.

© By the author. Read Klimt02.net Copyright.

Intro
Here we are at the third and final part of our Spotlight series, which explores the ambiguous and captivating dialogue between the natural and the artificial through a selection of contemporary jewellery pieces. 

This article highlights a selection of artists whose work responds to a constantly changing world, where the concept of nature feels almost mythical. The widespread presence of the artificial is reshaping our connection with the living world, opening the door to stories told by artists interpreting today's chaos, swinging between dystopia and hope.

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: New Narratives in the Evolving Human-Environment Relationship of the Anthropocene

Version française - French version      View / hide description

Part III: Towards a Post-Natural Future: New Narratives in the Evolving Relationship Between Humanity and the Environment in the Anthropocene Era

A contemporary chaos, you say? A world governed by environmental, societal, and political concerns, which forms the foundation of Lucy Pearl Petts’ work.

It all begins with a selection of images, visual fragments that bear witness to the impact of human intervention: natural disasters, pollution, or overconsumption. Graphically manipulated, these excerpts generate forms, colours, and patterns resembling transitional abysses emblazoned on her pieces.

Considered a response to current realities, Lucy’s Chaos collection materialises as talismans filled with hope in the face of an uncertain future. She virtually shapes forms by initiating a dialogue between the analogue and the digital, evoking natural deposits. Here, the human hand models a structure that will then be assembled by a succession of elements, giving birth to jewellery that appears imposing yet possesses a surprisingly light weight.


Lucy Pearl Petts. Neckpiece: Amoletum, 2024. PLA, aluminium, recycled 925 silver, freshwater pearls, abalone shell, adhesive.


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In a world where the authentic and the reproduced boundaries are fading, Yarina Dai, freshly graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, offers a futuristic vision of jewellery rooted in speculative design.

She envisions a future where life can no longer exist without the intervention of technological advancements. In one of her scenarios, a society called Naturify, set in 2300, combines bio-engineering and wearable tech to create living jewellery, capable of interacting with its wearer. In another narrative, a sterile laboratory is overwhelmed by a nature in rebellion, symbolising humanity's loss of control over its attempts to dominate life through science.

Using artificial intelligence and 3D printing, Yarina designs hybrid objects in which the digital merges with the organic. This raises questions about our relationship with the natural world and the possible futures of an ever-growing interdependence between biology and technology.


Future of Bioengineered Jewelry by Yarina Dai [EP.1] AI Film.


Yarina Dai. Earwear: Rhythm, 2023. 3D printed resin, dye, pigment powder.


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Some artists envision a future where we attempt to relocate nature, exporting it to new worlds. Ezra Satok-Wolman imagines a dystopian scenario where humanity, forced into exile, survives aboard a shuttle drifting through space. This context inspired his collection, presented at the SpaceXXX: Mission to Mars at Hannah Gallery in 2019.

His project explores the possibility of creating jewellery in space using simple, replicable techniques and reusable materials. For the first time, jewellery would be crafted in zero gravity using a universal nodal connector and custom stainless steel springs. This process allows for assembling geometric and abstract forms that can conform to the body while retaining their structural memory.


Frame from The Mars Hotel Film. Concept and Jewellery by Ezra Satok-Wolman. Directed by Davin Black. Music by Petit Biscuit Safe (courtesy of PB Music Group).


Ezra Satok-Wolman. Bracelet: T-370, 2018. Titanium, stainless steel springs, 750 gold.


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To conclude with a dash of optimism, because, naturally, a positive future is always reassuring, the work of Khajornsak Nakpan deserves our attention. Although many artists and designers are exploring new ways to produce sustainable materials, a subject that merits an article of its own, let us focus here on the approach of the Innovative Body Adornment Jeweller.

Aware of the bleak scenario unfolding for our planet, Khajornsak offers a sustainable and innovative alternative in the design and body ornamentation industry. He develops a biomaterial derived from soil bacteria, adopting a zero-waste approach rather than destructively extracting resources. His research project, with promising results, illustrates how biotechnology can be harnessed to preserve our planet. By integrating science with artistic creation, he paves the way for a future where material innovation aligns with the ecosystem rather than opposing it.

 Khajornsak Nakpan. Body piece: Falling in (Me)lanin #2, 2022. Bio melanin fibre and bronze.


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About the author


Cécile Maes graduated from ENSA Limoges in design, specialising in Contemporary Jewellery. Her interest in jewellery grows from the human relationships games it involves. Social object, jewellery creates narratives and becomes a sign. Investigating classical typologies, her work is a re-interpretation where historical references and everyday exploration connect ideas to speak about jewellery, the reasons why we wear it and the meanings we give to it.

Mail: cilce.maes@gmail.com
Instagram: cilce_maes