Exhibition Curator: Julie Bergmann
Exhibition Duration: 25 January – 20 May 2023
The exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Czech Center of Athens
NEW TEMPORARY EXHIBITION AT THE ILJM
Since its inauguration, in 1994, the ILJM has staged temporary exhibitions. Historic artifacts and contemporary creations from private and public decorative arts collections have joined a vast program of more than 90 exhibitions. Special attention is brough to the promotion of contemporary artistic jewelry. Seminars, workshops and international programs are organized to advocate for the international field of contemporary artistic jewelry. In conjunction with the live studio jewelry workshops, the Museum has established the «The Helen Drutt International Studio Collection» with works from international and Greek artists.
The current exhibition is curated by Julie Bergmann after the motivation of Helen Drutt. TRUE TO FORM, turns to the phenomenon of modern jewelry in Czechoslovakia after the Second World War. Jewelry from the 50’s until today, reveal the work of renowned artists jewelers whose work is today in public and private collections around the world, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, (London), The Museum of Art and Design (NYC), the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning, New York), the Schmuckmuseum (Pforzheim, Germany), The Museum of Fine Arts (Houston), The Dallas Museum of Art (Dallas, USA) and others.
Julie Bergmann has chosen 24 artists with the ambition to introduce their distinctive work across generations, with different approaches to jewelry. In the late 1950’s Czech and Slovak jewelers established themselves internationally. Those represented in the exhibition are: Václav Cigler, Jaroslav Kodejš, Josef Symon, and Karel Vratislav Novák. In the 1960’s and in the 70’s, several international exhibitions included artists from this first generation in Czechoslovakia. The second generation came to the fore in the 1980’s and has a strong presence in this exhibition with Pavel Opočenský, Eva Eisler and Petr Dvořák who mostly lived abroad. Others who lived in Czechoslovakia include Stanislava Grebeníčková, Markéta Šílená, Zdena Roztočilová, and Vladimír Komňacký. Artists of the third generation are Jiří Šibor, Petr Vogel, Karel Votipka, Ludmila Šikolová, Martin Pouzar, and Jana Válková Střílková. While the fourth generation is up and coming with: Markéta Šumová, Adéla Wiesenbergová, Oldřich Sládek, Martina Singerová, Eva Růžičková, Kateřina Matěchová, and Karla Olšáková.
Wearable and display pieces experiment with new materials and techniques from traditional glass, ceramics, bones, and precious metals to stones and plastic. Kinetic art is embraced in many works signifying the strong technical background of many artists. Light often becomes the subject of study contrasting non-traditional materials and following the fashion that can be traced throughout studio jewelry of the western world. Color and design are evident in the diverse outcomes of the 24 artists, who become carriers of modern conceptualism and ambassadors of new artistic jewelry.
Julie Bergmann
Prague, December 10, 2022
Works of the following Artists will be displayed at the exhibition:
Václav Cigler, Jaroslav Kodejš, Josef Symon, Karel Vratislav Novák, Pavel Opočenský, Eva Eisler,
Petr Dvořák, Stanislava Grebeníčková, Markéta Šílená, Zdena Roztočilová, Vladimír Komňacký,
Jiří Šibor, Petr Vogel, Karel Votipka, Ludmila Šikolová, Martin Pouzar, Jana Válková Střílková,
Markéta Šumová, Adéla Wiesenbergová, Oldřich Sládek, Martina Singerová, Eva Růžičková, Kateřina Matěchová, Karla Olšáková.
Julie Bergmann – Curator
Lucy Kuligova –Czech Center Athens
Ioanna Lalaouni-ILJM Director
