Gilles Jonemann

Bio

Gilles Jonemann works from his workshop located in France near Bordeaux. He studied fine arts at the University of Aix en Provence and Applied Arts in Paris. Jonemann has been creating jewels for more than 50 years and has had several collaborations with luxury brands such as petit h by Hermes or Issey Mikyake. His work was exhibited on several occasions in French museums, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Musée d’Art Moderne de la ville de Paris. In addition to his artistic practice, Jonemann has an accomplished academic career and has taught and lectured in many countries, including Switzerland, Mali, Seychelles, Reunion Island etc…
 

Statement

I find it difficult to make a statement about one’s work, even more so because it’s not an obligation.
Sometimes I think about what I’m going to do; sometimes I think about what I did and sometimes I don’t think at all. Nonetheless, I’m starting to understand why I do what I do.
I realize that I love contemporaneity: the excitement that goes with it, the city, progress, speed, trips, glass and concrete, stress, computers, imagination and overall the race towards the future.
But then, there is nature, essential and vital as it includes everything; it provides for our needs in dreams, imaginary, breathing, nourishment. It still holds the mystery of our origin and that is surely the reason why we go for walks on Sundays.
Whilst the modern world remains to be invented, nature still needs to be discovered. Discover and invent are probably our two main activities. Unfortunately, our inventions can often destroy our discoveries. High-speed trains break into forests, meadows and plains. Maybe we could find a way to harmonize all our needs? I think this is what I’m trying to achieve with my work, by combining, thanks to relevant materials, the synthetic and the natural, the past and the future, the living and the artificial. All this hopefully with humour, poetry and a taste for childhood tricks.
 

CV      

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