Felieke van der Leest: The Zoo of Life. Jewellery & Objects 1996–2014

The work of Dutch jewellery and object artist Felieke van der Leest (born in 1968) expresses the very special affection that she has for animals. With unbridled fantasy she creates pieces that ostentatiously, colourfully and playfully revolve around her little friends.

She combines techniques used in textile work, such as crochet, with valuable metals and plastic toy animals. Within the international art jewellery scene she has developed her own special language with which she narrates intelligent and witty stories about and with her animal protagonists; her pieces inevitably conjure a smile upon the faces of those who view them. Characteristic for Van der Leest is the joy in her work, which is ever present yet sometimes carried off into childhood. Van der Leest also describes her work: ‘Whenever I work with colour, I feel like a painter. Whenever I work with metal, I feel like an architect. And whenever I work with toys, I feel like a child.’ However, serious themes in her work are also expressed, including environmental protection and human approaches to animals.

The current publication comprises jewellery and objects by the renowned artist from 1996 to the present. Felieke van der Leest lives and works in Norway.